Once Upon A Rewrite
by Dr.HelenL
Summary: Ever wonder what would happen if Cora stayed alive? What if Regina adopts the Lost Boys after Neverland? What if, after saving Henry, he and Regina's relationship gets better? What about Belle and Ruby and Ariel? Follows Cora and Regina mostly and starts after The Miller's Daughter through season 3. More info under the cut.
1. Chapter 1

_Once Upon A Rewrite_

Warnings: I don't know everything yet so I'll just say T. Violence, Mentions of Abuse/Rape, Language, Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time or it's characters. _Notes: Sorry for the long intro. This will be a multi-chapter Fic starting at the end of The Miller's Daughter in the 2nd season. I will update at my leisure so sorry for any waits. Basically, I'm rewriting some of the things on the show to my liking. I'm bringing back Cora and I hope to later on included Kathryn, Sidney and Graham's stories and kill of some other unnecessary characters. It will focus on Regina mostly but I may have some chapters dedicated to others. I'll go as far as I want hopefully in the 3rd season. Please comment for any suggestions! _

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Chapter One: True Love's Kiss

Regina teleported and entered Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop through the front. Out of breath from running in her heels she stumbled a bit at the doorway but continued on just as urgently as before. She crashed through the cramped and cluttered shop as she made her way to the back room where she knew her Mother would be with Gold. As her Mother came into view her heart pounded harder and harder in her chest - though the heart she held clutched in her hands continued to beat steadily.

She watched, frozen in her tracks as her Mother raised the dagger up above Gold's weak body. She was poised and ready to stab him - wanting to steal his powers. But Regina was too quick. Before Cora could get the dagger halfway down to Gold's limp body Regina had already shoved her Mother's beating heart in through the back of her chest.

It was funny, how she never knew. All this time she could have fixed it, fixed their lives if she had known her Mother was without a heart. And she was frustrated all the more because something felt to Regina that deep down she had always known that her Mother was heartless, that she couldn't truly love her. That she was physically incapable. But that was crazy, crazy even for a magical land. No one had ever taken out their heart and kept it out willingly!

Except, of course, her Mother. But she could have fixed it a long time ago. She could've had the Mother she always dreamed of if only she had known that she carried no heart. But it wasn't like she could tell anyways. Her Mother still had a heartbeat despite the missing organ.

Regina took a step back as Cora reeled away from the bed Gold lay on. She felt a twinge of pity for her former mentor, but then again he had used her and manipulated her too. The dagger dropped from her Mother's fist but was forgotten as the former Queen Of Hearts grasped her chest in pain. Regina stood there not knowing what to do as her Mother hunched over in what appeared to be extreme pain. Suddenly, Regina wondered if this was a good idea at all.

That is, until Cora looked back up at Regina. She was taken back at how her Mother looked. All of the hidden malice and deception was gone and in it's place was the Mother she never had. There was a lightness in her eyes and her expression. Regina looked surprisingly at her Mother but that emotion was quickly replaced with joy. Cora had never in her life looked like how she did at the current moment and Regina sucked it all in.

She laughed, the smile on her face larger than she thought possible. Regina laughed with her, tears stinging her eyes. "Mother," she said her voice wavering greatly. She never thought her Mother could ever look at her with such kindness and such love. Regina was so unused to it that it took a second to recognize how her Mother's expression signified love instead of deception. Her heart thumped so loud at this that she was sure even Gold could hear it from his deathbed.

They stood there, staring at each other. It was the first time Cora truly saw her daughter and one of few times Regina ever saw her Mother emote. Cora shuffled a bit towards Regina and extended her hand to her in wonder, touching the tips of her hair gently. Her baby was so beautiful and she never really noticed it before. Oh how much she had missed! Regina laughed again and Cora smiled wider.

Regina could remember a dream she had so long ago of this moment. She had dreamed so many times that one day her Mother would come to her and suddenly show her all Regina wanted to see. That she would hug her and tell her she loved her without any ulterior motive. Now, standing across from one of her oldest dreams - a Mother whom showed her love - Regina could not speak. She hadn't even hugged her or said that she loved her and yet Regina knew. She knew her Mother loved her.

Promptly after these things were thought, however, Cora felt a sting of pain. Soon this pain spread across her blood, burning through her veins. Cora's face faltered from bliss of happiness as the pain took over her very body. Both women panicked as Cora pulled back her collar to reveal blood flowing from a large slice in her shoulder. As Regina's wide eyes came upon her face she began to see a darkness just under her skin. It seemed to be spreading through her system like a poison.

"Oh," Regina could hear her Mother say breathlessly as the white-hot pain came back, burning her blood like a wildfire in a dry forest. She collapsed then, and Regina quickly acted to capture her falling body in her arms. She bought her Mother down to the dusty floor and kneeled with her in her lap, gingerly placing her body across her own shaky legs.

This could not be happening. It was as if all of those dreams she had as a little girl - and even as an adult - were crashing down. All those thoughts of her Mother's love and affection were crumbling even more than they had throughout her life. She had always been starved of her Mother's affections. Now they were here and might be taken away.

"Mother?" Regina asked scared for her and her future. Tears openly made rivers across her cheeks. Her heart constricted tightly in her chest as she watched her Mother twitch slightly in her embrace. She seemed to be convulsing a bit as the dark poison in her veins made it's way to her newly reentered heart. A sheen of sweat seemed to cover over her Mother's pale skin. 'No,' Regina thought, 'This was not supposed to happen!'

She heard the sound of a metal scrape behind her and glanced to see Gold standing up. It hit Regina suddenly that he was using her life essence to live and her throat tightened and her eyes blurred. She couldn't believe it and she did not want to believe it. "What's happening?" she asked Gold even though she already knew the answer very clearly. Regina held her Mother closer as her body began to weaken more as this life force was transferred.

Cora twisted her head to the side so she was looking up at Gold. Her eyes were brimming with large tears and her chestnut irises held recognition of something Regina did not know. Gold stared down at her stoically, cold for their current predicament. Regina suddenly held a large hatred for this man - even more so than before. How could he just stand there and suck the life from her when she was dieing? Couldn't he save her too?

He held the dagger in his hand as Cora spoke softly.

"This would have been enough," she said to Gold. He twitched slightly but did not move. Regina stiffened and let out a sob as her Mother's head lolled to the side to look at Regina's eyes. "You," she whispered, her mouth shutting then opening slowly. "You would have been enough."

Regina panicked again, frantically shifting her Mother's dead weight in her arms. She felt numb and unreal - her Mother couldn't be dieing, she had just returned her heart! She couldn't think because her head was clouded. It was true her thoughts had escaped her most of the day, but now with her Mother passing away in her arms Regina could not have a single coherent thought.

And as if the world was testing her she watched as Cora fell completely limp in her arms, her eyes closing slowly. Regina's tears fell onto her Mother's face as she bent over her to weep. It was cruel - this world - taking away her Mother and her dreams of love right when she just got them for the first time. And now she had finally broke from the weight the worlds had put on her.

Weeping softly over her Mother Regina leaned down to kiss her forehead. Her lips quivered as her sobs made her stomach quake. More tears fell from her eyes when she kissed her dead Mother. They could have been together now, as a family. They could have been like a real Mother and daughter and fixed their relationship. But she was dead just like all those whom Regina had once loved.

As soon as Regina pulled away from her Mother however, a large gust of pure white magic flowed from her Mother's body and Regina's broken one. The rays of magic made the way in opposite directions. She tensed slightly, her mind numb with pain as the rays of magic blew her hair from her tear-stained face. Gold took a step back, shock etched in his face - he knew what it was before Regina could even process it.

Regina's brows furrowed, her heart and mind still. She suddenly felt her Mother's corpse stir in her arms slightly. Regina's head snapped down to look at Cora, whose eyes were opening slightly to the world again, as if for the first time. She gazed at her daughter and gave a weak smile, rivers flowing again from her face. Regina watched in wonder at this miraculous recovery when it finally hit her.

True love's kiss. She brought her Mother back herself! Both Mills women looked at each other happily. Regina's thoughts were jumbled except for one thing - if they had True Love, then her Mother really did love her truly. It was a simple and obvious thought and yet it made the world for Regina. She stared down at her Mother's face as the poison in her receded back to it's origin - the cut in her shoulder. The blood that saturated her clothing evaporated off into the air and the fibers in her coat sewed together again as the spell was reversed.

It was more than a new start for Regina. It was a new state of mind. For years her Mother had told her that love was weakness. It had echoed in her for her entire life. That she couldn't do anything with love but become weak and feeble. Worthless. But now love - True Love - had saved her Mother and had saved Regina from the depths despair. It was the first time that love had saved her from pain instead for causing it and Regina was grateful for this love that she hungered for her whole life.

"Regina, stop!" an all too familiar voice cried. Regina knew it like the back of her hand and often associated it with the very end of the happiness of her life. It soured her mood a bit - as it took away her attention from her week Mother, who was still resting in her arms. Gold had taken most of her life's energy and even True Love's kiss could not restore everything. Regina looked up at Snow and her idiot husband, both of which slid into the room with horrified faces that quickly turned into utter shock at the scene before them.

Snow's eyes looked between Regina than Cora than Gold and over again. Gold was clearly well and even though Cora was laying across her daughter's lap she was still apparently alive. She opened her mouth to speak, clearly confused, but Gold quickly interrupted her with a voice he didn't bother to hide his annoyance with.

"Yes, we are both alive."

"But how?" both of them exclaimed at once. Regina glared at them both. They didn't deserve to know. Snow had almost killed her Mother! And they thought they were good? Anger boiled up inside her. She could feel the anger swell and warm her chest. It had always been there inside her, always waiting to come out. It almost did at that moment when suddenly in her arms her Mother twisted slightly. Regina turned her attention to her Mother instead.

Cora's face was contorted in pain. She was tense, her back ridged as Regina held her up from the dirty floor. Her eyes were screwed shut and finally she noticed how unhealthily pale she was. Her heart fluttered in her chest again and she turned to Gold who was still perched above her with his cane and dagger. He looked down at Cora and pursed his lips slightly. Regina gazed frantically up at him, wondering what to do and pleading with him to explain.

"Cora hasn't felt true emotion in decades," he said indifferently. "It's all coming back to her. She's probably just remembering all her more. . . unpleasant actions. That and, she was just drained of all her energy."

Regina glared at him for the last comment and the small hand gesture he did that made it seem like what he said was common knowledge. She knew he had something to do with Cora's near demise. Gold would do anything to preserve himself. But as the beginning sentences got to Regina, she allowed herself to relax. Her Mother would be okay. She just needed some rest.

Carefully, Regina waited until her Mother was stable enough to stand to help her up. As she was doing so, Gold was taking care of Snow and Charming's questions. Much to all three of the magic wielders annoyance they continued asking on like it was a fucking twenty questions game.

"I am still alive," Gold said to Snow's latest inquiry, "because Cora's life essence was transferred to me when you poisoned her heart. When Regina brought her back, enough of it was returned to Cora to sustain her again."

Regina grunted. Snow was the one lucky to be alive. If Regina did not have her Mother to support at the moment her hands would be at Snow's throat, clawing her way through the delicate flesh. Instead, she supported Cora by slinging her arm over her shoulder. Her Mother, still faint and her eyes still mostly closed, leaned nearly one-hundred percent on her daughter.

"I'm going home," Regina declared to them. She was done with this. Her Mother was ill and she had a blaring headache. With a puff of smoke, she left Gold to his resources while appearing in her guest bedroom. The purple smoke wafted away and Regina helped her weak Mother into bed. They were both completely exhausted.

She had her Mother back. She had her Mother back and it would all be okay. Regina hadn't felt so light in a while. She smiled down at her Mother who appeared to be passed out. She was tired too. It was true that Regina was used to the overwhelming combinations of stress and love, but it still tuckered her out. Cora was the one unused to such feelings.

Collapsing next to her Mother, Regina scooted over until she was resting her head on her Mother's chest, reveling in her breath and heartbeat. Cora had never let Regina get this close when she was little. But now with her heart Regina knew she would allow it.

She smiled against her as she drifted off into sleep. This time, she did not need to dream of a loving Mother. Because finally, she had one right next to her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - An Awkward Breakfast

Cora woke when the rays of sun peaked through the curtains and across her face. Her head was groggy and her body sore, but she hadn't felt better her entire life. Vaguely, she remembered the events of the previous night, when Regina had shoved her heart back into her chest. The thumping organ had filled the hole that she wasn't able to fill herself. She could remember seeing her baby - Regina - as if for the first time.

Her heart had swelled and she remembered how she let herself cry. She should have felt that rush of love when she held her baby for the first time after her birth all those years ago. But she had not because of the missing organ. Her baby hadn't had a Mother. Cora could recall how she realized this right before the stings of pain grabbed at her attention the previous evening. She knew she had fainted and for a while all had been a murky black in her mind.

The she remembered opening her eyes and Regina's face had been above her and everything was okay. She had been too weak to even get up off the floor, but that had been fine for the moment because Regina was there with her.

Cora smiled, her eyes still shut from the morning light. The warmth from her heart was still in her. She felt lighter and warmer as if the air itself was clearer. To her this newfound sensation made her feel giddy and. . . free. Opening her eyes gingerly to the morning light, Cora sat up in the bed she was in only to be startled by a warm mass next to her. Cora turned quickly to her left with her hand raised, glowing with magic, only to see that it was Regina sleeping calmly next to her side.

She let out a sigh of relief and lowered her hand. It was only Regina. Cora grinned broadly, kneeling in the large bed and brushing some stray hairs from Regina's face. Her daughter looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. How could she have missed this when she gazed at Regina as she slept when she was just a toddler? Did she even see back then at all?

Regina stirred under the sheets and slowly opened her eyes. Cora continued to gently brush back her hair. She used to brush Regina's hair when she was young too. She always had soft hair and Cora used to enjoy the time with her daughter. It lasted until one day she had decided Regina was old enough to do it herself. Now she wished she had never given that routine up.

"Good Morning Regina," Cora greeted with a whisper. Regina smiled and sat up next to her Mother. Cora studied her, lost in her thoughts until Regina threw herself against her and hugged her tightly. Cora chuckled and hugged her back, though not as tightly as Regina's death grip. She was glad to have Regina back too, even with all the things they were going to have to fix up.

They sat there for a while in companionable silence with only the creaking of the bed and a few muffled sobs from Regina against Cora's coat. She held onto her Mother tightly and Cora buried her nose in Regina soft hair. They would be alright. They would fix this mess and make everything better. Both of them thought this in unison unknowingly but in the back of their minds they knew that they were going to have to go through many arguments and discussions to get there. And that scared them both to death.

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Henry sat up in his bed to think. He was glad that Mr. Gold had made it out alive since he was his Grandfather. But this was where it puzzled Henry the most. Cora was his Grandparent too, but he was not sure if he was happy she was alive. It confused Henry to no end. Both Regina and Gold had done wrongs, yet he did not want them to die. But when Cora was faced with the same fate Henry could not help but be unsure whether or not it was better she live or pass.

His thoughts were interrupted when Emma came up to him on the loft bed. "Hey Kid," she said to him, ruffling his hair, "You okay?"

Henry nodded slowly, a bit unsure himself if it was the truth. He stared at his Mom for a moment before deciding to ask, "Is Cora good now?"

Emma grunted before answering, "She has her heart, but I don't know if that means she good."

Henry contemplated this for a moment. He hadn't thought too much about the effect of adding a heart the apparently ruthless woman. He was a bit afraid for Regina after what he had learned about Cora, but he couldn't do anything at the moment.

Henry looked back at his Mom, who also appeared to be in deep thought. He shifted in the loft bed to break her away from his thoughts so he could climb down. Emma realized what he wanted her to do and made her way down the ladder. It was a quiet breakfast that day in the Swan-Charming house. All their thoughts were on the two sorceresses whose statuses were unknown. How could they be sure Cora was safe?

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three - Hot Tea

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A day had passed in the Mills mansion yet to both Regina and Cora it seemed like years. The house seemed to be filled to the roof with the murky feeling of tense dread. Both the women knew that they needed to talk, that they needed to let quite a few things out. But neither of them wanted to start that war - especially since they had just gotten each other back not two days ago.

Cora did not want to fight Regina, but she knew she needed to say some things and apologize. Apologizing was the first step to fixing their broken relationship, yet Cora couldn't even bring herself to do that. It was already too hard to bear the thick emotions that came with being next to Regina, how could she do it?

The past few days Regina had been stuck in the house because of their actions at Gold's Pawn Shop. Cora knew Regina wasn't really to blame but the Charming's didn't. They were always idiots - never seeing what was in front of them, Cora thought bitterly. It seemed that even a pure heart could not stop her from thinking distastefully at that snowflake and her perfect family. She knew well enough how they had snached Henry away from Regina.

But was it really their fault? Cora felt sickened to the gut at that thought. Was it really Henry's fault that he would not want to be around Regina after seeing her attempt to help her dangerous Mother retrieve a dagger that could give it's user control of The Dark One? Or even worse, to become The Dark One themselves?

Cora shook her head, her thick brown curls falling off her shoulders. She couldn't think like that, she should help Regina get her son back - the right way. She should go downstairs and talk to her daughter like a Mother would. Cora swallowed hard and stood up out of bed. The light blue comforter was pushed aside as she walked from the edge of the bed to the guest bathroom connected to her room. Cora's shoulders sagged as she looked at herself in the mirror.

She looked like shit. The past day had been a nightmare for her, what with all the emotions running through her like a fucking racehorse would run through it's track. Sometimes, Cora would feel angry and fume throughout the house, but then she'd feel sadness and mope. Other times, she'd feel an overwhelming sense of love and she would smile at her daughter brightly. But there was always one thing. One thing that bothered Cora throughout all the emotions.

Guilt. It weighed her down like several large stones attached to her ankle. It was those sacks of flour that she used to have to carry on her back day in and day out when she was a Miller. It was always there, always trying to climb out of Cora's throat and she didn't know what to do with it. Most of the time it made her frustrated. She'd be looking at Regina and all of it would crash on her and- God! All she wanted to do was cry or break something!

She couldn't stop the guilt and something in Cora didn't want it to stop. She would take a good long look at herself in the mirror and shame herself. She'd look at herself and see nothing more than the peasant the was born to the dirt and ashes. She'd see the broken women she had come to notice in her daughter.

"Queens don't look like this," Cora would say to herself. Queens look proud and regal and they don't look like shit. Then, she'd turn away quickly. She couldn't look at what she had become. This wasn't what she had intended to happen in the Enchanted Forest that day when she removed that infernal organ so many years ago. She had only wanted to be able to be honest with herself, to not feel the pain anymore. The royals had been so cruel to her, she had only wanted to be freed from that cruelty, to have their power.

'Love is weakness,' she would hear herself say in her mind. She had taught herself to recite it, to live by it, to love that phrase and exist by it. She could remember telling it to Regina and then all of the tears she would be holding would come down and down. They would stream and she would collapse on the bed and hold the blankets to her face to muffle the cries. How could she? How could she do that to her own daughter? How could she kill that innocent Stable Boy? How come she used to hit her daughter?

It was ridiculous. All of it had been. All those courses she used to make Regina take, and all those balls she used to attend to. She wanted her daughter to be Queen, to be that fairest of them all and she had gotten what she wanted only after beating out of Regina's spirit.

"I just want to be free Mommy," Cora could recall her saying many times. She could remember how longingly she used to say it, how Regina would look at her pleadingly. And Cora would only smile and tell her all those awful things, all those lies. "Power is freedom, Regina," she'd say to her. And Regina would listen, broken like an obedient daughter.

They were all lies and Cora had known. She had lived in Wonderland for one-and-a-half decades and had known all along. Love was not a weakness. Power was not a freedom. Cora used to have it all in Wonderland and what did she use her power and time to reach?

The entire time she was in Wonderland she had spent trying to get out. To get to Regina. Cora had all the power in the world and she still chose Regina over it, yet she continued to tell herself that "love was weakness?" Even when it propelled her to come to her daughter in Storybrooke? Even when she found the power of love in herself to protect herself from her daughter's curse? How could she ever have been so stupid to believe her own words when her actions already had clearly betrayed her?

Cora sobbed, now on the tiled floor of the bathroom. It was all a mess. A filthy stinking mess, and Regina and her were right in the middle of it. She didn't want this, she had never wanted this. All she wanted was to make the royals pay for what they had done to her. How they made her kneel like an animal even though she slaved to make their flour. How they had made fun of her for being worthless, for being nothing more than a Miller's Daughter.

She had only ever wanted to get back at them, to destroy their royal bloodline with her own peasant one. She was told that Regina would be Queen by Rumple, and so Queen she would be. But it did not matter in the end. Cora would have been happy with just a daughter - Regina would have been enough, no matter who she was.

Cora stood up shakily, using the porcelain sink as a brace. She didn't dare look at the monster in the mirror. She only turned the knob of cold water and splashed her face. Over and over she did this until she knew that she would be clean of any tears or signs of her sorrow. Regina didn't need that knowledge weighing on her shoulders. With a flick of her wrist, Cora put on some light makeup and changed her silk nightgown into a black suit.

This was going to be a long day.

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Emma Swan didn't know what to do. Of all the bright ideas she used to have stored into her mind, she couldn't think of one. How were they supposed to know that Regina would not attack them again? Better yet, what about Cora? That witch was no good and they had let her free, with Regina! They could be planning anything.

The blonde knew deep down, however, that she was wrong to think that Regina would want to attack her and Henry. Something about how Regina had acted with her Mother told Emma that she had not wanted to attack them at all. There was always a distant look to her, and unsure air that said she did not want to be there, to be doing that.

No, it was not Regina they should be worrying about, it was Cora.

So far the older woman had been unpredictable. She first thought she was the Mother from Hell, bent on destroying her daughter. She shivered when she remembered their time before she replaced her heart. She had overheard Cora and Hook talking one of the times and clearly recollected Cora's voice; "I want her broken."

How Regina ever lived with that woman was beyond Emma, but she knew that Regina was not in a good state right now. Cora wasn't someone that should be trusted and Regina was living with the manipulative witch. She needed to get Regina back on her side or she may not come back. Emma was no idiot, Regina would come for Henry one day.

But how was she supposed to get a read on Regina's mental state without alerting Cora?

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Regina heard her Mother come down the hallway and into the kitchen. She had been sitting by the side window since five o'clock just staring out into the garden. She spent most of that time contemplating what to do with her Mother and their relationship. It was complicated to say the least, and Regina just wanted the stress to end.

Their relationship only seemed to be worsening. All this time in this empty house made Regina feel like she was going mad. The silence of the mansion that was once home to a loud boy and his hero was a much better alternative than a broken Mayor and an overly-emotional Queen of Hearts. If she could go back, she would have in a second.

"Morning Mother," Regina said, snapping out of her thoughts and putting on her fake-smile. It felt overdone and surgery in the glum house, but Cora didn't point it out and instead, reacted in the same fake mood.

"Good morning sweetheart, what are you doing up so early?"

Regina hated that. She hated how her Mother would play along with her act. Regina was the best of actors (having doing it her whole life), but it was painfully obvious that Cora knew it wasn't real. Everyone in her life always played along with her act. And now she just wished on of them would change it for her, to sit her down and ask how she really felt.

But no one did, so Regina answered. "I'm starting work again Mother. Do you think Charming and his precious Snow would lift any of their fingers to a pile of paperwork?"

Cora gave her a small smile to show her amusement with the statement, but it didn't reach her eyes. Regina turned to the stove, rotating the knob so it flicked on, then placing a kettle over the flame. Cora watched from her spot in the room and quietly offered to help her make something.

"No Mother, remember what happened last time I allowed you to try something that involved the oven?"

Cora scoffed, annoyed at the memory and embarrassment it braught up. "You just used magic to fix it anyways," she replied to her daughter, still a bit touchy at how the flames from the oven ate up the side of one cabinet and the disgruntled look Regina had given her when she saw.

Regina turned to her Mother, the kettle now on it's place at the stove and two mugs set for the tea. She was already done with her Mother's presence and the irritation showed plainly on her face, "Mother, you know I am trying to pick up that promise I made Henry, and besides, you know helping around the house is not what will make me happy!"

Cora's head snapped up. She hadn't been prepared for that last part and to tell the truth, it stung a bit. Cora retaliated more, even though Regina's goal had been to shut her Mother up. "I know that it won't make you happy, but I was just trying to help, I cou-"

"-like you helped me to get Henry back?" Regina yelled over her Mother. Silence ensued that intervention, the entire mansion echoing that last sentence. Cora stared at Regina blankly, even though tears clearly threatened to fall from her eyes. Regina stared back at her Mother who looked like a wounded animal. She felt a scrap of remorse from her intrusion, but she didn't dwell on it. Her Mother had thought she was doing right when she made Regina go along with her plans, and now, Regina just wanted her to realize this.

The kettle behind her suddenly shrieked. The water was done and ready to be drunk. Regina turned to the kettle and cut the flame. She couldn't wait to allow the boiled liquid to scorch her tongue. She needed to feel it to take her mind off of her current mess.

"Nothing's changed Mother, why has nothing changed? If you want to help me Mother," Regina said, throat constricting as she turned to her, "then fix this. Fix us."

Regina handed her Mother her tea before leaving the house to Cora, who accidently dropped the mug of tea from her shaking hands and allowed the fluid to sear the side of her leg. Regina was right, she needed to fix them before they could not be fixed.

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	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - What's the Price?

Emma made her way from the Sheriff's department to the Mayor's Office, having taken note of how her parents didn't seem to have an interest in checking the office for paperwork. Both Snow and Charming were monarchs, not politicians, and Emma knew they wouldn't "waste" their time doing paperwork when they'd rather be out and about.

She sort-of wished Regina was Mayor again, just so she didn't have to do the mundane task of signing papers over and over in a boring repetitiveness that drove her crazy. Regina was not the best of leaders, but at least she knew how to do the necessary things she didn't want to do. She was actually surprised that Regina hadn't tried to become Mayor again - not that she blamed her. Still, Regina seemed to be qui-

"Regina!" Emma said, startled to find the brunette sitting at her desk in the office. She looked up, annoyance written on her face as the town's Sheriff sauntered in loudly. She had been enjoying the quiet of the morning, and had even begun to relax before she barged in.

"Miss. Swan," she said in a reluctant greeting, "Is there something you want?"

Emma quickly captured her bearings and looked at Regina carefully. She would usually just annoy her to no end, but now was not the time. Regina clearly wanted her gone, and even though Emma would have loved to make that wish happen, she knew she needed to stay to at least get a little understanding on what was happening at home with Cora.

"No, I don't need anything, I was just here to see if there was any paperwork."

Regina paused in the middle of her signature and turned to look up at Emma. "You, paperwork?" she chuckled softly and went back to signing her name, eyebrow cocked amusingly as she finished, "I'm sorry Miss. Swan, but I can't picture it."

Emma rolled her eyes, "David and Mary-Margaret won't do it, someone has to."

"Well as you see here, I have it taken care of, so if you'll allow me to finish in quiet, that would be quite nice."

Regina could hear her inhale loudly. Why couldn't she be left alone for just one hour? She already had a stressful morning with her Mother, she didn't have the energy to deal with anyone else now. She knew they needed to talk too, but she was done with talking for the day.

As if the blond could be any more intolerable, she pulled up a chair from the conference table and sat up next to the desk. Regina let out an exasperated sigh and slammed her pen down next the the thick pile of conflicting legal issues she had just started to get through. Emma glanced up at her before Regina nodded at her to begin.

"How can I trust you, Regina? How can I trust Cora?"

Regina stared at her for a few moments. She could tell by her tone and posture that she was being serious. She would have to answer her if she wanted her to go away. 'So be it,' thought Regina, 'I'll talk to you, then you can scurry right out.'

"Miss. Swan, I assure you that there is nothing to fear from me, or my Mother."

Emma grunted rudely (at least, Regina thought so), and raised an eyebrow. "You're gonna have to do better than that since you almost killed Gold."

Regina didn't hesitate, "I am well aware of that, however Snow almost killed my Mother and I don't see her being questioned."

Emma sighed. It was useless to talk about this, Regina wouldn't ever give her a satisfying enough answer. And with David hounding her to help solve the Cora problem, Emma would need to find a solution fast. And now, without Regina helping too much, she would have to go to a different source. "Look Regina, just don't do anything suspicious."

Regina didn't bother to answer, why would she risk more heartache with her son and attack them?

* * *

"And what do I have the pleasure of doing today?" Gold asked as Emma strode into his shop, the bell ringing as she pushed the door in. Emma made a face at him from under some locks of fallen hair before pushing them back.

"It's Regina and Cora. Charming is nagging me to find some way to make sure they won't attack us again."

Gold gave her a smile. The man was lucky to be alive and he just smiled? Emma couldn't understand him most of the time. Although, she didn't really understand much these days. "I don't think they will be attacking, although we can never be to sure, can we dearie?"

Emma sighed, back hunching as she gave into the problem that seemed to have no solution. She didn't even know why she went to Mr. Gold anyways, he could very well be planning something too.

Gold noted her defeat, reveling in it a bit. It always made him secretly happy that someone always needed him. Even if it wasn't actually him they needed - but his expertize, it still brought his some satisfaction to the man. Especially when the person in need of aid was - is - a savior. He turned to a row of shelves behind him and took of a small, glass vial from the back of shelf. In it contained a blue liquid that would serve as an adequate first defence.

He placed the vial on the counter and teleported a small sac to his hand. He undid the ties and opened the mouth of the leather pouch. In it was a single hair, Regina's hair. She had traded it to him a long time ago for him teaching her a basic spell that she wanted to learn to help her in her quest to destroy Snow White. She never got to destroy her, but Gold had gotten a hair out of the deal.

"What's that?" Emma asked his as he placed the hair in the vial with the protection spell. He sloshed the two around and the strand of hair dissolved, the liquid turning slightly darker in color. Gold didn't answer right away, but instead contemplated what he would ask for in return for some protection.

"It's a protection spell, it will protect whatever - or whomever - you wish. In it, I have placed Regina's hair, and-"

"Hold up here Gold, do I want to know how you got a hair from Regina?"

Gold paused and glared at her for interrupting but continued on, ignoring Emma's inquiry. The town's Sheriff didn't dwell on her question. He wouldn't tell and he was offering her help.

"-And it will offer protection from her, that is only if she has the intent of causing harm."

As he finished his explanation Emma's brow raised. it was nice to have some protection from Regina, but what Emma was really concerned about was Cora. And Gold hadn't said there was protection from her.

"What about Cora?"

Gold studied her for a moment. He suddenly had an idea for the price of his deal, "You are going to have to get a hair from her if you want this protection to work."

Emma's eyes grew wide, how was she supposed to get a hair off Cora?! How was she even supposed to get close enough to the witch? It may be easy to someone who could poof in and out of places, but Emma couldn't even wrap her mind around it. It would be suicide.

But it was also the only thing she had at the moment. It's not like she could just arrest them. That was the trickiest part of being one of few law enforcements around Storybrooke. Half the time the law went flying out the window.

Gold chuckled a bit at the alarmed look she was giving him. He would have been worried if he had not found a way around it already. He also knew of Emma's history of thievery and he had some faith that she would not screw their deal up. Gold took the vial and transported it to a safe place in his shop with a cloud of thick smoke. As a replacement, he handed her a simple cloaking spell. It would allow her to get in and out of a place undetected - as long as she didn't physically make noise.

After explaining this to her, Emma nodded and turned to leave before she realized she was not done yet. Turning back to him, she asked the same thing many had asked before her, "What's the price?"

* * *

**Comment please. P.S. I will be moving updates to about two to three times a week. :) Sorry about summary and pen name changes.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Protection Unneeded

This was ridiculous. It was perhaps the worst idea Emma ever had, and that was saying something because she could recall many horrible ideas from her past. This still took the icing right off the cake though.

She had been crouched in Regina's lavish garden for the past hour now, waiting for David to call her and tell her to move into the house, or leave for another try - or to do something, anything! She knew Cora was still in the mansion, and that she normally left at noon every day to have lunch with Regina in the Mayoral office, but for some reason it seemed that she was taking her sweet time today.

'Come on!' she thought to herself, 'I don't have all day!' Her leg was cramped uncomfortably under her bodyweight and the bugs were nibbling ruthlessly at her exposed skin. She carried the invisibility cloak with her, keeping it tucked under her arm at the moment because of how hot and heavy it felt in the direct sunlight she was currently sitting in. She cursed the older woman whom she was about to steal from.

Emma nearly jumped up high out of the bushes when she heard a loud "Zzzzzzzzzt, Zzzzzzzzzt" coming from her back pocket. That is, until she realized it was her phone vibrating, because then all Emma could think of was relief as she unlocked it and answered her call eagerly when she saw that it was from David.

"David, can I go in now?" she said it quickly and quietly, not wanting to alert anyone who may be nearby of her presence, just in case the witch had never left the building in the first place.

"Yeah, but I don't think that she's staying for very long, hurry up. I'll call you when she leaves."

Emma nodded, then realized that he couldn't see her do so, "Uhm, yeah I'm going to be quick, bye," she said, cutting off her Father before he could get a chance to tell her to be careful - it had already taken a long time for him to "allow" her to do this, let alone help with the situation. He obviously did not want to let her break into two powerful sorceress's home.

Which was understandable, but not the point of her mission.

She was doing this for Henry, for his protection and to ensure he had some safety. David eventually seemed to understand this and had caved into her and Gold's flawed plot. They both agreed that they needed to get some protection without Cora or Regina noticing. They did not want to provoke a fight from the pair. As long as they did not tell Mary-Margaret about their plan, then they were fine. Emma knew her Mother would never go along with it.

She crossed the backyard and past Regina's large apple tree and began to shimmy the lock open on the bright red back door of the house. She was careful to make sure she left barely any evidence of tampering behind and as little scratches on the lock she could manage. She even wore some gloves, wanting nothing to connect her to the location. As the lock finally budged open, Emma put on the cloak Gold gave her, making sure to cover her face and entire body.

The cloak was made of a plastic-like material. She could see out of it like it was a new window. Emma quickly crossed their kitchen to the ornately-framed mirror in the main foyer of the house. She grinned in wonder as she looked at her missing self in the mirror. It was like she wasn't even there, but she wondered if it would truly hide her from them.

This inspection was short lived, however, as she made her way up the grand stairs. It was so strange to be in such a large house that was so quiet and still. She never really stayed there too long, so she never got to notice how gloomy the house felt. She hugged the cloak closer to her as she clamored up the stairs two by two. She would need to ignore her thoughts and find Cora's room once she got up to the second floor.

"Shit," she said out loud, coming to an abrupt stop at the landing. She hadn't underestimated the largeness of Regina's house, but now it was quite annoying as she turned her head from side to side, examining each of the rows of doors as she walked around the open space of the second floor.

There were six doors, and she knew two of them belonged to Henry's room, which was straight ahead, and one to the master suite, which was the only door to her left. Emma groaned in annoyance, 'Right side it is then,' she thought, turning to the nearest white door. She smiled when she saw it was the guest bedroom, disbelieving her luck.

Which only faded as she felt her phone vibrate again. Quickly, she reached back in the cloak and pulled out her phone answering to David yet again, "She's coming back already?!"

"Yes, and for some reason Regina's coming too, hurry up!" he said worriedly.

Emma panicked, hanging up David yet again to go digging through the Cora's drawers, trying to find the item Gold wanted and a hair for the protection spell. The strand of curly brown hair was easy to find as she noticed a brush sitting on the vanity in the bathroom that was connected to her room. She pulled a few strands - just as a precaution - before placing them into a plastic bag in her pocket.

She continued to search for another ten minutes.

For the life of her, she could not find the item Gold needed. She looked in the bathroom cabinet, and the dusty bookshelf to the right of the bed. On her hands and knees, Emma carefully shifted through the closet full of black and grey suits, checking some of the pockets before letting out an exasperated sigh and turning to the large dresser at the front wall.

She sorted through Cora's jewelry box, trying not to drool at the large, expensive gems that decorated the silver and gold chains. One of those necklaces could be worth enough to live off of, the diamonds and garnets were so large! If only she had found some of these when she was out on the streets as a younger woman. But that didn't matter, she was running out of time and they could be coming home at any moment.

"Mother, did you really think that?" Regina's voice suddenly rang out from what sounded like downstairs. 'Crap!' Emma thought, quickly beginning to open one of the drawers and digging for the sack she needed to find for Gold. She dug through the socks and underwear with a cringe on her face before nearly screaming in delight as she found a small, brown box, worn with time and good use that was placed at the bottom of the drawer.

Emma didn't bother to pull out the box, but instead opened the lid just enough to slip her hand in and find the correct item. Shoving the small object into her pocket, she placed the lid back on the box and covered it back up with socks again. She could still hear the two women on the floor below while she moved out of the room and into Henry's, hoping to hide out in the boy's closet while she found a way out of the building.

"What do you really mean by that Regina?" she could hear Cora say, just barely under the thickness of the floorboards. Suddenly, Emma was interested in their conversation, even though she was shaking and sweating from nearly getting caught. She sat back in the tiny closet, keeping the cloak around her as she listened silently.

"What do you think, Mother, that I wanted to listen to you?! Did you really think that I would go along with your plans because I actually thought that it would work?!"

Emma swallowed hard, thinking about what Regina was saying to her Mother. They were obviously arguing about the dagger situation they got themselves into, and Emma didn't know what to think now that she heard Regina's words. If she hadn't gone along with her Mother's plans because she wanted to, then why had she gone along with them at all?

She knew there had been something different about Regina when she saw her helping her Mother, especially after she told Henry that his adoptive Mother had murdered her only friend. When she was told this wasn't true, Emma had slowly realized that she was wrong for telling Regina she wouldn't change, and how strange it was that she would suddenly drop everything to help her Mother with her evil plans.

She had kept those thoughts to herself though, thinking not much of them until the past few days. She noticed the stiff, yet loving air the woman held around her Mother. Their relationship was clearly troubled - a fool could see that - but there was something about their interactions that bugged Emma. She knew that Cora was a horrendous Mother, what with wanting to break her daughter and all, but there was something else that had happened between them that Regina seemed to carry with her everywhere.

She continued to wait, thoughts racing and body huddled against the hardwood of Henry's closet. All was quiet in the house, Emma could only hear faint muffles of their talk below, and she shifted in the small closet to hear more of the conversation. She knew that she should not be eavesdropping, but her curiosity was peaked at Regina's question and her returning questions.

"No, Mother, your plan was foolish, and I. . .I only did it because I had to, or what would you have done?" her voice asked with a croak, clearly influenced by tears.

"Regina, I-"

"What would you have done Mother?!" Regina yelled loudly, startling both Emma and Cora. She listened to their intense argument from above them. It was silent for the longest time before Emma heard Cora's slow, defeated answer.

"I would have made you love me."

The entire house echoed with the older woman's confession. Emma's brow furrowed in deep thought as the meaning of it hit her. So Regina hadn't been doing it for evil purposes or intents at all. This shedded a new light on things, something Emma hadn't really thought of before. Regina, it seemed, was not the problem here.

It was Cora.

However, now that she listened to the angry slamming and hard footsteps of Regina, added with the softness of what must have been Cora's footsteps in what sounded like the dining room below her, she got a glimpse at how the two were living together. She felt pity for both the tense woman living in the mansion, though mostly for Regina. Cora didn't seem to be evil anymore, but Emma wasn't going to take any chances. She needed to get out of there.

She heard a door slam down the hallway, probably Regina. Even though their argument was very real and Cora was the one who wronged Regina, her slamming and stomping was like a child having a tantrum. If it were not for the situation and their subject of her anger then Emma would be laughing, but as she peeked out of Henry's mostly open door with the cloak covering her entire body, Emma knew now was her chance and that she couldn't let herself become distracted with Regina's rage.

As quiet as she could, she snuck out of Henry's room and into the open hallway. Regina's door was shut - Emma had already guessed that she was fuming in her room. Cora, however was somewhere else in the house, and Emma didn't know where. She was careful to cross the floor, and finally made it to the steps, which she peered down.

'No Cora in sight,' Emma thought to herself, 'Good.' She tentatively took a step down, climbing them silently and a swiftly as she could without disturbing any of the Mills women. The house was completely still except for some shuffling in Regina's room, and all was going great for her. . .

. . .until she made it to the bottom of the steps. Now that she was in the foyer, she turned her head slowly to take note of her surroundings, only to see that Cora was sitting at the dining room table, head in her hands and hair fallen limply around her shoulders. Emma was frozen in her tracks, shocked at how the once proud sorceress looked so different. She was speechless and continued to watch as Cora stood up from the chair, brushing off her pants.

She looked horrible. It was obvious Regina was not the only one suffering from their quarrels. Emma hated herself for feeling even sorrier for the very person who tried to kill Gold and capture Henry, but now, she could understand the two a little better.

'That was what you wanted, right' she thought to herself, sneering, 'You wanted to see what was going on inside the mansion walls, and you got it.'

She watched as Cora pushed in her chair, shoulders drooped as she turned to the foyer. Her thoughts slammed into her as Emma realized Cora was going to go up the steps, which were right next to where she was standing. She tensed as Cora walked within a few feet of where she was to get to them. The woman walked right past her, and Emma did not dare to move as she watched her ascend to the second floor.

Closing her eyes and holding her breath, she waited until she heard Cora's heels muffle at the sound of carpeting upstairs. As soon as Emma knew she was away in her room, she quickly made her way to the back door, locking it and shutting it behind her, trying not to slam it closed with the urgency to get away.

Emma didn't look back as she ran past Regina's apple tree and through her hedges. She tugged the cloak off her as soon as she go to her car, slamming the door shut and driving far away from the Mills mansion and it's inhabitants.

* * *

"Emma, are you okay, did they see you, did you get what you needed?" David asked her all at once as she entered the doorway, her coat not even halfway off. She had just dropped off her payment to Gold and returned the cloak before making her way home. And with all the events of the day the last thing she wanted to do was talk to her distressed Father.

"Yeah I'm fine," she replied distractedly, her mind still on the event she witnessed at the mansion. She couldn't believe what she was thinking, but the spell seemed useless now that she had seen Cora and Regina. Both of them appeared as if they wouldn't be attacking anytime soon - if at all.

"Did they see you?"

"No, they didn't, and yes I got the spell with me," she finished, moving away from David and his inquiries and up to the loft to her son, who appeared to have fallen asleep flipping through his most recent book, "Alice's Adventures In Wonderland." She couldn't understand why Henry had taken such a deep liking to the book once he found out that Cora was also the infamous Queen of Hearts - in fact, Emma would have thought he would shun the book and the tyrant that was Cora. Instead, he seemed to be even more interested in it.

She shrugged it off, even though it continually bothered Emma. She pushed up on the last rung of the ladder and sat down next to her sleeping son, the bed weighing down with her body. He had dark circles under his eyes and appeared to be in a deep sleep.

"You sure tuckered him out last night," Emma said chuckling, her mood lightening now that she was reminded why she risked herself in the mansion in the first place. Last night, David and Henry had stayed up to play a new video game that just came out. It seemed that David had lost track of time, because the pair ended up staying well past Henry's normal curfew. Emma had played with them for a while too, but she had been nervous about sneaking into Regina's house and had gone to bed early.

She sat down next to Henry and closed the book that was still in his hands. Taking the glass vial from her jacket pocket, she uncorked it and placed it under his nose, allowing the dark blue liquid magic to react with the air and transform into a gas, which slowly wafted up to his nostrils. Henry shifted in his sleep, making a face as he inhaled the magic. Gold told her that he needed to inhale all of it for the protection to do any good, so she waited until the glass was completely empty before pulling back.

She watched as Henry's body glew a soft blue before she pulled the covers over him and climbed back down the ladder. She would do anything to protect him, but her thoughts continued to bother her - did he even need to be protected from them?

* * *

Comment, what ya thought!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six - Curse of the Broken-Hearted

Henry stretched his arms by extending them as far as they would go after he jumped down from the bed. His alarm clock said it was eight-thirty-seven in the morning, but it was not the alarm that woke him. Instead, Henry's stomach's growling had stirred him from his slumber, the scent of bacon and eggs calling to him.

He walked straight to the kitchen bar as soon as he jumped off the ladder, eyes half open and blurry. He was still not quite awake and Emma chuckled as she watched him enter the room. She got up from her seat at the bar next to where David was cooking to sling her arm around Henry's back, guiding him to the bathroom.

After a few seconds, he realized that Emma did want him to go into the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth, and he blindly went in. Emma shook her head with a smirk as he closed the door in her face. She turned back to the kitchen to aid David in his (truthfully) mediocre culinary skills, only to find him arranging a tray of food for his wife, who was currently staring blankly out the window.

"Anything?" she asked him, concerned for her Mother's blank stares. She hadn't talked since she attempted to poison and kill Cora. Even though it was a nasty way of killing someone, Emma didn't see why she was reacting in such a way. After all, Cora tried to kill them first, and had even killed her Mother.

"She hasn't said anything, but I am going to try to get her to eat," he replied in a whisper, as if she could not hear them anyways. Emma noded toward the woman propped on the pillows. An uneasy feeling fell over her - she suddenly did not feel like eating.

"What's wrong with her?" came out Henry's voice. Neither David nor Emma had heard the boy come out of the bathroom, and both the adults jumped at the sound of his voice. They looked at each other with solemn faces - they did not want to explain it to him.

"Nothing," Emma told him absentmindedly, thinking about the situation, "She's just a little sick."

Henry looked up at her with squinting eyes and a suspicious look on his face. He could tell his birth mother was lying. The guilt showed on her face plainly. He sighed to himself loudly and gazed back up at them, "You guys are lying to me, aren't you," he said as a sentence, not a question.

Emma snapped out of her trance and flicked David a look before answering Henry, "No one's lying."

With a burst of anger Henry surely inherited from Regina, he countered Emma's reply with his own, "You are! Just like you did about my Dad!" he yelled, his frustration flaring in his eyes.

Emma stood, stunned at his outburst for a moment, recovering. "Henry, I-" she paused halfway through, giving David an apologetic look, "He's right, no more lying."

"Emma. . ." David began, but was cut off by the look Emma had given him. She looked back down at Henry and smiled sadly, "Here's the thing Henry, Cora wasn't supposed to live. . ." Emma started, glancing back at Mary-Margaret, "See kid, she poisoned Cora's heart, and-"

"Cora didn't have a heart?!" Henry asked, incredulous. There had been no account of the missing organ in the storybook and the book, "_Alice's Adventures In Wonderland_," and "_Through The Looking-Glass_," had revealed nothing of the sort. He didn't know what to think now that he had this information. Was Cora only evil because of her missing heart, or was it actually her? Henry wondered this silently, brows furrowed in deep concentration.

"Yeah kid, but now she has it."

Suddenly, Henry was hit with a realization of the meaning of the words from before. Snow White had tried to kill someone? No, no that couldn't be! His Grandmother was good, not evil! But even as he thought this, he knew it was true - she had tried to kill Cora. Henry's head spun. It was a startling realization for him, good and evil were more like separate sections to him, but now the lines seem to have blurred. Emma had told him that she was protecting him from Cora, not killing her.

Even though he knew she wasn't dead, Henry was still upset. It was obvious that trying to kill Cora had taken a large toll on his Grandmother, which it should have from the look on Emma's face as she tried to distract him from his deep thoughts. Was Cora any different than Snow? He faced this horrible question as he ate his breakfast in silence, questioning all he thought before as he nibbled on the scrambled eggs.

* * *

Regina teleported her way down the crypt, the musty smell of the dank underground hideout invading her sense of smell. The cool air felt refreshing on her shaking skin, hot with anger and the unending sadness she had become accustomed to over time. Her heels clicked as she walked down the stone passageway, slowly creeping to the room Regina had given her Mother as a storage place for her items and treasures - the place she had even kept her heart at when it was not in her body.

She shivered at the thought of her Mother. She hadn't said more than a few words since their argument around four days ago. Little statements were all that was uttered between her and her Mother nowadays, things such as "Excuse me," and "Thank-you," but never anything more and usually something less.

All that was between them was silence. Silence and the groans in the floor of the mansion as it settled in the foundation. And the sounds of the light rain in the evening as it hit the windows with a gentle pitter-patter. They would sit there and eat together, and Cora never seemed to be hungry because all she did was take a few bites and then turn to the window to watch the rain streak across the glass.

Sometimes, she'd even turn to her and stare. Regina never got used to the watchful eyes of her Mother as she studied her, or rather, observed her as she ate. And when she would look up at her Mother with an annoyed glare, all that she'd see in her Mother's eyes was a sadness, deep and never-ending. In those eyes - the same eyes Regina had inherited - she'd see the mirror of herself, the same woman with a similar sadness.

She didn't want to be like her Mother, but there she was. Day in and day out, Regina would eat and Cora would stare. She would look up and they would pause, stuck on each other's faces. Regina would study the wrinkles that had formed around her eyes and her mouth, the creases that formed with her small frown. She'd look into her eyes and then she would see herself in them, and she'd leave.

Regina waited. She waited for her Mother to do something, to help her, to make things up for her wasted childhood and the deaths it caused. She would wait to hear something of a sorry or any other sort of an apology, and none would come. They were stuck in time, waiting for something they thought would never happen. Something that should have been said so long ago. But it would never arrive, always out of reach.

Cora's love always seemed to be out of reach. Just there, dangling above her, taunting her with it's soothing voice. 'Regina, Regina!' it'd say above her. And she'd reach up - always reaching up, but always arriving further down than before. And then it would ascend higher above her. Regina never lost hope in all her life that it may someday be reached.

But even she had her limits, and now, with her heart in her chest, Regina had expected it to come, to cease that taunting she endured her entire life. But it never stopped, it never stopped. Her Mother was there, emotion and all, and she didn't say a word. Not a word but "Excuse me Regina," or "Thank-you Regina."

There were no soothing choirs to the dreadful silence of the house that used to be a home. Home to a lovely, brown-haired boy named Henry. Regina would walk down the corridor only to turn back around at the sound of his voice, giggling in the way only a young child could. It would lure her like a moth to flame, away from the silence of her Mother and the painful gazes at suppertime.

Regina needed Henry, needed him to come back to make her ears ring with noise and talkative chatter. She needed to stop the deafening roar of nothing. As Regina stared at the pale contours of her Mother's face, she'd feel the tears sting. She did not want to let her Mother see them because she couldn't take the silence that surely would ensue. Would she just watch as she drowned in her own tears at the table? She must, for she hadn't said a word since their last argument.

She wanted to hear her son, and she hoped that he would hug her, tell her that she did not need to cry. That he knew she was getting better and that he believed in her. She hoped with all her black heart. . . and yet she knew he would not.

She hoped things would get better with her Mother, but they did not. After the first day of finding each other wore off from their minds all they could do was bicker and shout over things never settled. Their past haunted them but Regina hoped for their future. And it never worked. It never got better.

Why would Henry be any different? He had his perfect family of heroes, there to shower him in love without her there too. Her redemption did not matter now that she aided her Mother, now that she used magic. She hoped - like her Mother - that he too, would come back and they'd fix their problems. But it was worthless.

He didn't love her.

He didn't. When she looked into his eyes - the same brown eyes as her damned Mother - all she'd see was confliction and fear. She didn't like the fear, for she would never hurt him, but it was there in his orbs, the love and adoration had all flooded out of his eyes as he looked upon her. Her little Prince, her saviour. The same little boy that left home to go find his real Mommy.

Which was why she was here in the crypt at one in the morning, searching, desperately digging for her Mother's spell. She knew she would have it, she had confessed to possessing it not four days ago. It would give her back the noise and the loving eyes of her Mother and her son, because the spell could be casted twice on two different people.

She would do it to them both. Mother would be first, since she would be asleep. It wouldn't hurt her or pain her in any way and it would be quick and easy. Then finally, she would be able to reach her Mother's heart, her love that had lingered in the shadows would come to the light and she would seize it forever. Then she would cast it over Henry, and the silence of the house would go away.

She could be happy, she just needed to give them a little push to get them there, to make them love her - no, to help them love her.

Regina opened the first box clumsily, the lid flying up as she pushed it off the container. She was blurry-eyed and her heart raced as she dug through the bottles of various potions and ingredients. She read the labels in the dim light of the chilly room, "Frozen Mushroom," and "Tiger-Lily Poison." These her Mother had surely gotten from Wonderland, especially with "Eat Me," written on a package, and "Drink Me," inked across a tag attached to a corked bottle holding sloshy liquid.

Regina clanked them together as she hunched over the container, rivers flowing into lakes across her cheeks and nose and down to her neck. There were two slots missing - the two items she needed. Frustrated and tired, she slammed the lid shut and turned madly to the side, gipping the worn fabric of her Mother's blue dress. With all her might, Regina yanked hard, the dress slipping off the hanger it was on.

With it now in her hands, her mind flashed as if it was triggered, remembering the time she had last seen her Mother clad in it when she was a citizen of the Enchanted Forest. Regina squeezed her eyes shut as the memory flew across her mind in dazzling colors - though she was not dazzled. Tears squeezed from the corners of her eyes, where wrinkles formed just like those of her Mother.

Unknowingly, she ripped through all the layers of skirts and petticoats with strength that did not register to the woman stuck in her own mind. The expensive fabric tore like the heart from her Mother's chest so long ago. The cold, dank stone room echoed with the tearing of fabric.

In her mind's eye, however, Regina only saw the last moment with her Mother in her young life, when she pushed her through the looking-glass. She did not see the ripping of the dress. Her view flashed to her Mother's face instead, surprised, saddened and afraid for once as she was overpowered by her own flesh-and-blood's anger and was sucked into Wonderland through a hungry mirror.

Then, quit abruptly to Regina, she snapped out of her trance, the harsh reality of the crowded room collapsing around her. Her sobs were chokes and half-breaths, caught with the moist air. She opened her eyes to the dim light, head hung low as she gazed upon the mess of blue material, torn into rags by her own hand - her Mother's favorite dress from her time in the Enchanted Forest was nothing more than rags now.

It was a wonder she even could hear the soft footsteps Cora produced as she cried loudly in the room that was stuffed with things from a different world of wonder (or, perhaps, madness). Cora stood before her daughter, carrying a candle because she didn't know about flashlights yet and she needed more light to illuminate the drowsiness of her lingering slumber. And now, Cora wished she hadn't brought one at all.

Carefully, she placed the white candle on a nearby table. Cora kneeled next to her daughter, the mess that she was. She was struck with the image of her weeping child, having woken up to check on her, only to see she was gone from the warmth and safety of the bed. Regina was not one for midnight walks. She had gotten worried quickly.

Not as much as she was worried now, that is.

Regina continued to sob, ignoring her Mother completely. She was too far gone in her thoughts and sorrows to care - especially since it was partially her Mother who drove her to this point of breaking. It was what she wanted, wasn't it? To break her? Well now she was broken, and even though Regina wanted nothing more than for her to leave her be, deep down she knew she needed her Mother.

Not the Mother that she had been getting her entire life, however. Regina needed someone to hold her. And although Cora was neck-deep in her own demons trying to work out Regina's own silence, she noticed this. With her heart it was easy to see. She opened her arms and kneeled next to her on the cold, semi-mossy ground. Cora was only wearing a thin nightgown and a small sweater, so she welcomed the warmth of her daughter as she crawled into her lap.

"It's okay Regina, it's alright," she whispered just loud enough to make out. "Mother's here now."

Regina cried louder, hating herself for becoming so weak and sensitive. How the townspeople would laugh at her! The Evil Queen, crawling to her Mommy! Not that it mattered anymore, she was done for in the eyes of the people. Her redemption was no more than some gossip to softly chuckle about behind closed doors. No one ever took it seriously except that damned Cricket.

Cora began to hold her closer, rubbing circles gently in her back. She felt as if she wished to cry too, but she knew she could not - she needed to be a rock for her baby girl, her daughter. She pulled Regina close, holding her in the cool night air.

She decided to talk to Regina for the first time in ninety-six hours.

"Regina, what's the matter sweetheart? Hmmm? Tell me."

Regina shuddered and paused in her weeping to look up at Cora, who was looking sadly, yet lovingly down at her. She looked tired, dark circles under her eyes and hair mussled. Regina gazed up at her, guessing that she probably looked much worse than her Mother. It didn't matter anyways, she was talking and Regina was surprised and thankful.

But she didn't know what to say. What could she say? That she wanted to force her Mother and her son into loving her so that she could be happier? What would her Mother do? It was all she could do to sit there dumbly, the room quiet with only a steady drip drop of water leaking into the room.

Cora was calm and observant. As Regina sat still against her body she looked at the mess she had made around the room. She noticed the messed up bottles and packages along the left. She grimaced as she saw one of her dresses laying on the floor, torn to shreds as if a cat had gotten it's was with it. From the looks of it, Regina was going after a spell she had.

But which one?

"Regina, what were you looking for, which spell?"

Silence and the steady drip drop or water and a scurry of some animal. Cora urged her on, "It's okay, you can tell me, I-" she shifted Regina in her arms, giving her a reassuring look, "-I won't be mad."

Regina sat there, motionless. She didn't want to say what she had been thinking but she also wanted to talk to her Mother. Finally, she was getting what she wanted and she didn't even want it! 'What a frustrating world,' she thought to herself angrily. She was getting tired of the fruitless contradictions, and after some thought she bowed her head down, away from her Mother and told her about the Curse of the Broken-Hearted she knew her Mother to have.

Cora sat there, stiff. She had destroyed it a while ago, having the same thoughts as Regina had. Now she was very glad she had gotten rid of it. Truth be told, she was not mad at Regina - but herself. If Regina felt the need to search so frantically for a curse to make her love her, than what did that say?

It said she felt unloved, and as much as Cora wished to deny this to herself, she couldn't. Her child felt unloved by her enough to do this, and she needed to make it better. Cautiously, Cora brought her hand down to Regina's face where she tipped it up to her. Regina's eyes were red and puffy and she sniffled as Cora looked upon her. Pushing her hair back, Cora felt her own eyes dampen at her little girl whom she knew felt unloved.

"Oh Regina," she whispered, her voice breaking the silence, "You don't need it, because I already love you."

With that, Regina was quiet and frozen again. Cora and Regina both stared at each other, only this time there was much more understanding involved. They both smiled softly at each other and Regina hugged her Mother closer.

"Thank-you Mommy," she whispered, face buried in her clothes. Cora smiled and hugged her back just as tightly. It was the first hope they had in days, and both the women took it like water in a parched throat. It felt forever since they embraced.

But Regina was still not done, because even if Cora said she loved her (and for once, Regina could see she meant it), what about Henry? How could she know?

"Mother, what about Henry, does he. . ." she trailed off, leaving the rest of the predictable sentence to her Mother.

Cora chuckled softly, "Sweetheart, do you really believe your own words?" she asked, inquisitive voice warm. Regina looked at her, slightly startled by her reply and her tone.

"What do you mean, Mother?"

"Regina, you have the biggest heart, and believe me on this," said said, pausing then continuing on, "You loved me even though I was the worst. . . the worst Mother possible-" her voice cracked as she said it, but it strengthened as she continued, "-and you, you are a great Mother, Regina. You loved Henry with all you could and you did it well. From what I understand, he is a smart boy and he will come around in time."

Regina closed her eyes and listened to her Mother as she talked, Cora's voice humming against Regina's ear. "If you loved me and I am a horrible Mother, then he most certainly loves you, because you are a wonderful Mother," Cora finished, tucking a strand of loose hair away from drying Regina's face.

Cora watched her as she leaned against her, eyes closed. It was all too perfect - more so when Regina smiled against her, obviously satisfied by her answer. They both sat there like that for a while, enjoying each other's company for the time since they hadn't been the past few days. They were still angry about each other, but at least they could breath calmly now.

Later that night, when they got back to the house, Regina turned to Cora before going to her room, "You're not that bad a Mother anymore, you're getting better now," she called, before turning down that hall and closing the door softly behind her. Cora smiled brightly and layed in bed for a full hour, happy about the recent turn of events that allowed her to connect to her daughter again.

* * *

**What did you think about this chapter? Little longer I think. . . **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven - Plan Right on Track

Charming scanned the area for any sign of Regina or Cora. It would be very bad if one or both the ladies happened to notice their vandalism of their crypt. Slowly, he descended into the ground with Gold following not too far behind him, his cane hitting the ground and sending ominous echoes throughout the hidden chamber.

"What are we looking for again?" he asked, turning his head slightly to the older man. He hated working with Gold, but when he had interrupted their morning breakfast with his suspicions about Cora and Regina, he couldn't help but agree to search their magical storage vault for any info on the witches future plans. And with Henry, it was crucial.

Gold eyed him from far. He could see the suspicion nearly pricking off of him. While Gold doubted that Regina was up to something (and of Cora he was unsure), he still needed to find something of his former student's. She had rare belongings from Wonderland and various other things that could be of use. He only brought Charming because he needed a fail-safe if his snooping ever backfired.

Charming scoffed when Gold didn't answer. It didn't matter. 'We'll be in and out in no time,' he thought to himself irritatedly, scraping his feet across the grimy stone floor.

They both walked into the main room of the crypt, which had twenty-or-so arches in the sides of the walls. Inside them were many objects that seemed to be of importance, including a larger arch with a cabinet sure to contain plenty of evil. Along the sides were old suitcases and jars that were strewn about haphazardly, a mannequin with the remains of a torn blue dress in the center of a small clearing of supplies.

Gold walked along the room as if he owned it. And with more than half the town's land actually owned by him he might have owned the place. Charming stood and watched him run his eyes along the room until he found a open case, filled with little glass bottles. Carefully kneeling down next to the box with his left hand still on his cane, Gold shifted through the contents, lips twitching for a moment.

"What?" he asked him, unsure what he had found. Rumplestiltskin ignored him like he had been before and turned to an arch that was a few feet away. In it lay a box which Gold opened carefully, picking it up and showing Charming.

It was empty.

"What does that mean?" he said, annoyed. Gold turned and placed the box back to it's former spot.

"I know what they're up to," he said quietly, posing with his hand over the gold top of his cane, the other hand on top of it as he stood. Charming quirked his eyebrow, unamused, "That so?" he replied.

"Yes, and if I'm right," he paused, scanning the room before landing at another wooden box by Charming's feet, "A bottle should be missing from the top corner of that box."

Questioningly David glanced down at the box at his feet. While he was occupied with picking it up and opening it Gold flicked his wrist and in an instant, one of the items from the previous box disappeared, the only thing left was a tendril of magic.

Charming showed the box to him, a rounded spot empty. He was unaware of the missing item Gold had just took. "You're right, but what does it mean?"

Swallowing, Gold glanced up at his face. His eyes sparkled at Charming's unknowing face, it was so easy. "It's a curse I traded Regina a long time ago," he began carefully, "It's called The Curse of the Broken-Hearted. . ."

* * *

Things had been getting better between Cora and Regina, and now the house had a calmness to it that the two never expected and dinnertime seemed to be better off. They talked more than they used to and even though most of the time it was just small-talk and awkward chatter, it was still a better place to be than before.

But even with things looking up for her and her daughter, Cora could not shake the feeling of unease about something. There was something off, something bothering her to no end. She had noticed something peculiar about her room a few days ago. . . it looked different - shifted. She knew someone had rummaged through her things but there was no clear evidence to suggest it. It was all off.

She needed to find out just what was different so she could continue to focus on getting better for Regina. She had wished for no interruptions in the healing she was attempting with her daughter but nothing for her ever went as planned. She decided that it was best just to go along with it and do her own snooping.

She looked through all her magic supplies - all her extensive ingredients from Wonderland, and the various collections she possessed over the years. There had only been two things missing in all of her boxes and jars and vials. When she realized what they were she had smirked to herself gravely. She thought that Rumple would be more creative than petty thievery. She would have to pay him a visit.

And so now here she was, standing outside of Gold's quaint little shop - the very place she had attacked, attempting to kill The Dark One and steal his powers for her own. She had been foolish in that notion, but her pride and lust for power, control and magic had kept her going. She could tell that now she wouldn't have succeeded, knowing that she really didn't need any more power. It had all been a wishful attempt at best.

Cora sighed in the light drizzle she was under. It had been gloomy and miserable outside the past day. Cora was not used to the rainy Maine weather. She looked up briefly at the large sign that read "Mr. Gold - Pawnbroker." It was so strange to see this meager building as the site of his most prized items compared to the lavish castle that used to be his home. It was a dump then pictured to his former glory. She remembered that there had been many display cases and frames around the large castle where he had shown-off artifacts to the very few who came to him. Now all he had was a dusty little shop.

Turning to the door and completely disregarding the "closed" sign that hung from it, she passed into the shop. As she walked in, a tingle of bells rang out, but she ignored them as they signaled her entrance. Instead she strode to the counter in the back. She waited by the edge of the glass cases that displayed jewelry, trinkets from past deals, and even a shield with a family crest on it.

She could hear some faint grumbles coming from the backroom and Rumple's cane hitting the creaky floor as he limped up to the front of the shop. His voice called out the the front of the shop,"I closed, deari-" He was cut off mid-sentence before he even saw her. His faded brown head of hair jerked upward as he realized it was her through her magical presence. His sly smirk turned into a distasteful frown as he laid eyes upon her.

'What a lovely welcome,' she thought bitterly at his narrowing dark eyes. She really wished she did not have to be here, in this crammed and oldly smelling shop full of things he did not deserve to own. Rumpelstiltskin glared at her from behind the counter, wrinkles forming as he scrunched his nose up like he smelled something revolting.

"What do you want?" he growled.

Cora glared back at him, but gave him a small smirk as she was working her way back to the end of the building. His eyes followed her (they always did with that same careful, quiet awareness), and he tensed as she leaned into him, face near his ear. She always loved teasing him just to get a reaction. Though now it was more just to catch him off guard.

And it did a little bit, because when she whispered the names of the two ingredients he had taken from her he stiffened, hand gripping the top of his cane until his knuckles were white from the strength of his grip. She pulled back and stared at him, her smile never leaving her thin lips though never reaching her eyes. She was one of few people that could get this sort of expression on his face - that look he'd give her that told her to just 'go away.' Cora's unpredictableness was one of the things he had liked about her when she first became his apprentice, and she knew that.

Now, however, he did not like this side of Cora. Why did he allow himself think that she would not notice the missing items? He was foolish to believe it. . . he taught her well, after all. And clearly Regina was not a large enough distraction to keep her mind off of magic. But he knew that was not the point of it. He needed those items, and now it seemed like he must make a deal for them.

"What do you want?" he repeated, looking away from her aged face, so different from that the young, eager peasant. His eyes focused in the distance, fixating on one of the trinkets he traded in one of his earlier deals. He hated that he could smell her perfume from where he was standing - that rosy, tart smell she seemed to carry with her everywhere, even when she was a Miller. It invaded his nostrils and reminded him of better times when he would teach her - but also the thing it led to. That night when it had all gone wrong.

Cora chuckled, breaking his thoughts. She was as infuriating as always. Her sugar-coated voice held hidden menace and for a moment, Rumple almost had the instinct that Cora was heartless again. But he could tell she was different by the subtle softness it held. "I want the first item back is all," she said, walking past him to the shelf furthest to the right.

Gold watched her, unmoving. 'How the Hell did she know where he put everything?' he caught himself thinking as she magically pushed the items aside on the shelf until she found a small, square panel in the wall. Turning to him with a frown, Cora opened the panel with a flick of her wrist, the magic barrier breaking with some exertion. He suppressed a flinch as she reached into the hole and pulled out her stolen possession, which was glowing with a locator spell.

"I learned everything from you, did you really think I couldn't find it?" she asked him with a cocked eyebrow. His jaw hardened when she asked it, especially since he could not find something witty to say at the moment. Instead, he watched her as she strode back to the other side of the counter, her smirk gone. 'She can have it back,' he spat at himself, 'I'll just get the Blue Fairy to give one to me.'

He watched her as she made her way from the shop. Both of them were wearing similar impeccable black suits, he noticed. All they needed was Regina to join them, he remarked in a sour voice to himself. He was about to turn away when halfway out she twisted to him, both their faces hard as they studied each other and their motives. He could tell she was softer now that she had a heart in her chest, but there was that same old mischievous Cora behind her current facade. Cora's brown eyes glinted with the same energy they had decades ago and an urge shocked through him - an urge for what, however, was the question.

Cora looked over him and his lame knee and smooth skin. He had changed quite a bit. She was sure she would have called it pathetic without her heart, but she understood him better now that she was going through the same thing. They weren't all that different, really. Especially since she knew of his search for "the only person that might still love him." While Cora had already found hers, Rumple was still on his search.

They stared like this at each other for a while, unsure what to say. Cora stood there in the middle of the walkway, holding the item tight against her chest. She was somewhat annoyed with these long stares she always seemed to be caught up in the last week.

He watched her for a few more seconds before moving away. Gold could pick-up Cora's retreating footsteps as she walked away to the door of his shop. Smirking from his place behind behind the glass cases, Rumple let out a chuckle. "You know Cora," he said as she opened the door, not bothering to turn around to face his former student, "I have a curse that will make Regina obedient, if you're ever in need."

Cora didn't bother to answer or even open her mouth as she glared a hole into the imp's back, deciding not to bother with the glass door as she teleported in a puff of thick violet smoke. As she reappeared in her bedroom, she decided she wished she didn't still love him.

Back at his shop, Gold sat down in what was once his deathbed. Cora hadn't changed a bit and yet she changed completely. She continued to be her sultry, mysterious self but was lighter and softer in a way he did not expect. She still had the inhuman elegance and sensual nature that always intrigued him but her air of extreme power and explosive, violent anger was almost entirely lessened.

Maybe he was wrong with thinking she was up to no good. But then again, this was Cora. She could be deceiving everyone right now and no one would notice. Even he had not planned on such a cunning strategist, considering she could not see the future. But what was done was done, and he did not have time for regrets, what with Belle in the hospital and her memories lost.

He got what he wanted, perhaps more.

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	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight - Missing

"And when you cast it, the person inflicted will have no choice but to act like they love the caster," Charming explained, repeating what Gold had told him in Regina's crypt about the Curse of the Broken-Hearted. He was trying to figure out a solution between Emma and his wife (who seemed to be in better spirits now that Cora was back up to her old ways).

They all looked at each other seriously, concern for Henry showing on all their faces. Even though they had put up a protection spell on Henry it would only be a matter of time before they found a way around it. It did provide a necessary stall in the witch's plans, and now that they knew what they were planning to do with the Curse, they could defeat them.

Emma thoughts were kept to herself for the moment, David and Mary-Margaret's conversation fading into the distance. She didn't think that Regina would be back to her plans so soon, but with Cora perhaps she was pushed to it sooner. Lately she had been thinking about the two almost all the time, wondering if they would continue their evil schemes. After hearing them argue that day when she broke into their house, her opinion on the matter seemed to turn more in their favor. But this new information seemed to convince her that maybe they weren't so good.

"What should we do?" Mary-Margaret asked to no one in particular. Emma turned her head up to David, who appeared to want to say something in regard to the current question.

Hesitating, he answered, "We have given Regina more than enough chances," he paused, deep in thought, "We haven't punished her for her crimes in the Enchanted Forest, and we haven't even attacked her Mother since the Pawn Shop."

They waited him to continue on, and he stooped in closer to them, not wanting to alert Henry of their conversation and his proposal, "I say we have given her enough chances, we have to lock them up or kill them."

Emma and Snow opened their mouths to disagree but both found themselves closing them. David was right, no more chances, they needed to stop this endless fight with the women. If they chose to cooperate, they would not die, but if they refused. . .

At least, that was Emma's initial thought. Snow for once, completely agreed with her husband, nodding her head eagerly to his plan. But Emma shut herself into thought again, contemplating Regina's innocence, after all, last time she hadn't been guilty.

"We have given Regina enough chances," Mary-Margaret parroted, "You're right, we should have done this a long time ago."

Emma sighed, closing her eyes momentarily before reopening them. Her parents had been fighting Regina for years. It was the reason she had been without parents. Emma didn't want to deny it, but she was leaning towards capturing Regina rather than continue to try to help her son's adoptive Mother. This way, Henry wouldn't be in danger and Emma could be carefree with her family.

"I need a break," Emma said to them as she turned around to the ladder that led to Henry's loft. She didn't want to think of any more of this and instead she wanted to talk to Henry to gauge how he was doing with the entire dilemma. Once she was across the room she began to climb on the ladder, wondering how she could explain to him the situation (without mentioning the death part that Emma tried to ignore), when she came to an abrupt stop at the top of the bed.

Henry.

He was missing from the bed, which was ruffled up and the window by it open. Emma could feel her heart race a thousand miles a minute, it's beat deafening in her ears so loudly that she nearly fell off the ladder. Instead she hopped off and ran back into the main room. Her eyes were wide and frightful as she yelled at her parents.

"Henry's gone!" She told them, both their faces in startled. She turned out of the room, her parents close behind as she darted from the building and into her car. There would be no holding back on Regina and her Mother if they had laid a hand on that boy.

* * *

Henry arrived at his destination - his old house, the white mansion that many dubbed "The Mill's Mansion." He had escaped the tiny apartment when he heard what they were planning to do. There was no way that his Mother would do this! But, even if she was he could stop it. He would stop it, there was no need for bloodshed.

Lately, Henry had came to the conclusion that Regina wasn't so bad after all even though she tried to kill Mr. Gold. It seemed to Henry that most of it was Cora's fault. He could understand how Regina might work with Cora - if he hadn't found Emma, he might have been made to go along with Regina's plans unknowingly.

But that didn't mean she was blameless. After all, she had been trying to get better until they mistakenly blamed her for Archie's death. Henry was willing to give his Mother some more chances, but his family needed convincing. He would fix this, he just needed to get inside to talk to her and reason this out.

He rang the doorbell to his old house and could hear it echo inside the place. It was nearly dark outside and Henry shivered in his T-Shirt because he wasn't able to get his coat when he left. The Maine chill sent shivers down his spine, but luckily Regina was quick to get to the door. Without looking up as the large door was unlocked and opened carefully, he ran inside, grabbing the edge of his Mother's black suit jacket and opening his mouth to speak a mile.

"Mom! They know what you are doing and-" he tugged on the jacket and pulled her inside, worried about the battle that always raged between his family, "They are going to some here and-" Slowly, Henry realized something was different. His back stiffened.

He looked up slowly, startled. He hadn't looked up at the person who answered the door and unfortunately for Henry, it was not his Mother who opened the door, but Cora. Afraid of the woman whom he had heard about, and the Queen of Hearts in his books, Henry quickly let go of her sleeve, pulling his hand back and stepping away from her.

Cora stood there and blinked twice, peering down at him. Henry wasn't expecting her to look like this, but more like a terrifying, sinister old woman. He had many strange and unique thoughts as to what she could appear like, and this apparently nice looking, not. . . ugly witch was a complete 180 of his mind. 'Then again,' Henry thought, 'Regina isn't like that and she's the Evil Queen.'

Both of them were tense as they looked one another over. Cora already knew what Henry looked like from the various pictures scattered through the house. She was happy to find that she was much handsomer in person and a little taller too. Both continued to stare. Finally, they only looked away from each other when she felt a cool breeze infiltrate the foyer, causing her Grandson to shiver. With a flick of her wrist, the door shut and locked it soundly.

Turning back to him, she gave a warm smile, "Hello," she said, "You must be Henry."

Henry shivered again, and not from the cold. Instead he inched back from her. He thought that he would give her a chance back when he was sitting in his warm bed and thinking about the situation, but she wasn't what he was expecting - he didn't know what to think.

Henry watched her cautiously as she stretched an arm to offer a handshake to break the uncomfortableness of the situation. Henry sized up her action and intent, finding nothing in her eyes to tell him she meant harm. Instead, Henry took her hand and shook it like Regina had taught him to when he was little. He pulled back from her after a few seconds and they stood there again.

"Why don't you go sit down," she said softly, "I'll go get your Mother."

Henry nodded, at loss for words. His head spun. What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

**Sorry, the Holidays are taking a lot of time away from my writing. ;(**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine - Curse or No Curse?

Henry leaned back against the couch cushions. He had just finished explaining to his Mother and his Grandmother (he was unsure what he should call her), and he was getting tired. It was dark out and all that you could see was the moon, full and bright in the dark sky. 'Ruby is probably out tonight,' thought Henry to himself.

Cora and Regina were silent. Once Henry had been done explaining Cora had told him that she burned the scroll and the ingredients needed for the spell as a precaution. Despite not trusting her, Henry believed her mostly because of the look that his adoptive Mother gave him that confirmed it for him.

"Well Henry," Regina started slowly, "Thank-you for telling us about this."

Henry nodded gently and Regina sighed, slouching against the armchair she was in, much to Cora's annoyance. Bringing her hand up to her forehead she let out another sigh, this one sounding more like a groan. She rubbed her temples as Henry walked over to her to assure her that he would explain this to Emma.

"Mom, I won't let them do anything."

Regina opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the sound of her front door being broken down and a clamor of footsteps stomping into the hallway. Startled, Regina and Henry sat upright in their seats while Cora took a defensive stance in front of them. They could hear them all clamor into the foyer, shuffling around as they located them.

In came the Charmings; Snow, Emma, and Charming. Each of them were holding a sword and drew them up as Emma spoke.

"Regina! Give me my son back now!" she yelled, pointing it at Cora's chest. Cora growled at Emma's blunt possessiveness over the boy and, with the flick of her hand all of their swords were whisked away. She very nearly lost her temper, however Henry entered the conversation and walked in between the two fuming woman.

"It's okay!" he shouted over the tense mixture of emotions to capture their attention. Emma and her parents looked down at Henry and quickly grabbed him, confused when neither Regina or Cora attempted to grab him back.

"Stop!" Henry said pushing out of her tight grip, "They didn't take me, I'm fine, I ran here!"

The Charmings all looked down at him, confused further. Henry nodded and Regina walked in front of her Mother who stood observing the conversation. In order to prove it, Henry walked up to Regina and hugged her with one arm, turned towards the three in the living room entrance.

"Don't hurt them, they weren't going to take me," Henry said quieter than before, "Please, I ran away to warn them, hero's don't kill!"

Emma relaxed a bit. She could tell that the kid was telling the truth and running away was something Henry did often, along with the hero talk. She wasn't surprised with his answer but suspicion pricked off of her still. What if they had already cursed him, and this was his cursed self speaking?

David and Mary-Margaret were doubtful and stepped up in front of Emma. Cora tensed from the back of the room, trying not to burn them into ashes for even contemplating trying to kill her and her daughter. David looked between Regina and Henry, trying to find any sign that they had kidnapped Henry.

There was none, but that didn't ward off his suspicions.

"How do we know you didn't just cast it on him now?" he asked, raising his daughter and wife's thoughts.

Regina stared at them and Henry pulled away from her. Regina missed her son's arms immediately as she watched him approach his Grandfather. They all stood there is silence. How could they prove it? Regina stood there not knowing what to do as Henry shot her an apologetic look.

"You have to trust me," Henry said.

Emma sighed and walked up to her son, taking his hand and guiding him to the door. She would take him to Gold and he would tell her if there was a curse. She was leaning on Regina's side though - she put a protection spell on him, they wouldn't have had enough time to tear it off of him if they had meant him harm.

And Henry wasn't protesting as she nearly dragged them from the Mills Mansion and into the cold Maine air. She felt him shiver slightly as she walked him out.

"Wait!"

Emma turned to Regina, who was carrying a blue jacket that was Henry's favorite. He smiled and put it on gratefully halfway down the path. Charming and Snow watched unsteadily as her put it on - as if his own Mother would poison it. Henry thanked his Mother and gave her another long apologetic look as Emma grabbed his hand again and made her way back to her Bug.

Regina watched from the path as they took him away again, with Cora seething at the doorway.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten - Tea

Regina sat back into the couch in the living room as her Mother brought in some tea to sooth her (and herself). She thanked her Mother for it, but did not immediately drink it. Instead she buried her face in her hands and let her hair fall limply over her face. Seeing her daughter in such a state warmed Cora's heart more than the tea, so she set the plain mug down on the coffee table and sat next to her daughter.

"Regina," she said, unsure of how to really comfort her. Hesitantly, she placed a sturdy hand on her back and began to rub circles into it. She didn't talk knowing she needed a moment. At dinner about a day ago Regina had shared her pain on not being able to see Henry. It made Cora's blood boil to know that the Charming's perfect-little-family was keeping Regina from her own son, however she could not do nothing that wasn't rash when she had mulled over the options.

She could do nothing for her.

Regina sniffed in her hands and brought her face up. She turned to her Mother and leaned into the touch that was oddly comforting after everything she had been through. Collecting her bearings she swallowed thickly and opened her mouth to speak.

"Thank-you Mother," she said softly, "For burning the curse."

Cora smiled calmly and placed an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer. Cora had predicted once she heard Regina's concerns about seeing Henry and whether or not he loved her that Regina would go to the curse. She knew she was aware that she possessed the curse, and it was a likely move. Now she was glad she destroyed it too.

"You don't need to thank me Regina," said said sincerely. Regina pulled away and smiled at her Mother.

"You are changing, aren't you?"

Cora smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "I'm trying."

Regina paused for a minute in her thoughts. Cora leaned towards the coffee table, picking up the cup of tea and drinking the hot liquid slowly. It was just cool enough not to burn the tongue, and she calmly drank as she waited for her daughter to speak.

"Mother?"

"Yes Regina?" she asked.

"I. . ." she shifted uncomfortably in the chair, "I've been thinking on how we haven't talked yet, and. . ."

Cora put the cup back down. The mood had shifted from a bit laid-back to serious. They still hadn't talked yet, and although things had gotten better, there still were things that needed to be said. She turned her full attention to Regina, who was staring at her hands.

She looked up at her Mother with a sad look. "Mother, I don't think I can forgive you."

Cora stopped all thoughts immediately. Regina's eyes revealed her pain at finally telling this to her Mother. It hurt Cora and hit her hard, however she understood why Regina felt this way and why she couldn't forgive her. She had taken her childhood and the right to a loving Mother away from her. This was something she could never fully give back, even though she was trying to be a better person now.

"But," Regina said, taking a shaky breath, "But I would like to move on - if that's possible - and I'd like to keep going."

Cora gave her a sad smile and nodded, agreeing with her child again. There was no use trying to fix something broken beyond repair - but there was use in trying to rebuild it.

Finally, the two women reached a point of understanding. Cora hugged her daughter again and found that she could do so more freely now that they had released some tension. It was hard, but they knew things had finally gotten better. Regina was right, it would be easier to live with each other if they let most of their past go.

After a while they pulled back to finish their now cool tea. It still tasted good and still warmed them up a bit and they found some comfort in the drink along with their company. Even though they had resolved some of the problems they had been having (how strange it was that a single sentence could relieve so much tension!), Cora could still tell something was bothering her.

"What's wrong, dear?" she asked curiously after she took the last sip. Regina gazed up at her with red eyes and shrugged. Cora would be taking none of that though.

"What's wrong?"

Regina sighed and Cora realized Regina had not been drinking much of her tea. She felt a momentary pang of guilt in not noticing before, but she ignored it.

"I need Henry back."

Cora nodded and placed a hand on her arm.

"You'll get him back," was all she said.

* * *

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	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven - Magic

Henry waited until Emma sped off in her Bug to sprint across the school lawn. He mulled over his thoughts once more. Why was Emma going to go along with the plan that might kill his Mother? Sure, she had done wrong and she was the Evil Queen, but she had been telling him that she thought that Regina was changing. And then she did this?

Henry was still unsure about Cora though. She didn't seem mean or anything. . . but she was also the reason Regina turned evil again in the Pawn Shop. But, like everything else there was a catch. She was his Grandmother, and she wasn't accepted by Emma, but Mr. Gold was his Grandfather, and he was accepted. It made Henry's head spin in circles just thinking about it. Why should Cora and Regina not been given another chance, but The Dark One given so many?

He huffed as he approached the entrance to the run-down mine. His family was getting too complicated, and Henry was beginning to question the line between right and wrong. It seemed that there was only one thing in common with it all.

Magic.

He needed to fix this, to destroy magic before it made his family destroy each other. He could fix this, he just needed some punch. . .

* * *

Emma sped away from the school at just below the speed limit, still thinking about the night before. It seemed all she had been doing lately was pondering over the Mills women. She continued playing with her thoughts over the loud purr of her car. She glanced down to the passenger seat for a minute and cursed out loud. Once the light turned green she turned to the right instead of her usual route, which was straight. She would need to go back to the school to give Henry his forgotten lunch

* * *

Henry skidded to a stop in the dark mine shaft and pushed open the heavy metal lid of a canister to see the dynamite sticks the dwarves used to clear large clumps of rock and flattened Earth. He sneezed into his sleeve when it kicked up some dirt in his face and heard it echo in the tunnels. His plan was working so far. He had been thinking of it ever since his Father, Neal had talked to him about the idea in the diner a few days ago.

"What are you going to do, blow it up?"

Henry smiled confidently. He would save his family, quite literally, with Operation Dynamite.

* * *

Emma had just returned the lunch to the office and was about to walk out when she heard an urgent call from the secretary. The lunch was clutched in her hand as she ran toward Emma, who was halfway out the door.

"Henry never came in today," she said, nearly out of breath. Emma's eyes widened and she grabbed his lunch, thanking the lady briefly before charging to her car and dialing Neal, who was the only one home at the moment. Mary-Margaret was teaching in the same school Emma had just left and David was hopefully at the police station or prowling around watching the streets.

"Emma?" Neal asked from the other end of the line.

"Henry's not at school."

* * *

Regina approached Henry slowly, trying not to alert him of her presence. She wanted to get as close to him as possible before he knew she was there so that she could get the explosives away from him quicker.

She didn't get very far though, because her heel snapped a small twig and Regina mentally swore at herself for stepping on it. Henry's head immediately shot up, and - holding a freshly lit match - gave her a surprised look.

"Henry, what are you doing?"

He held the tiny match in his hand, the fire burning on the tip and little specks of ash falling off. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm stopping magic!"

Regina sighed to herself. She hated that he was so desperate to do this. "Henry, you can't destroy magic."

"Watch me," he said proudly, swinging his arm towards the wick that would lead to the dynamite that was balanced on the side of the well. Regina tensed slightly, not expecting him to move so quickly, yelling at Henry to stop when he lit the line. The fire sparked on it and began to travel up it. Regina was about to magic the explosive away, raising her hand. . .

. . . just as a cloud of blue-violet smoke engulfed it, sending it elsewhere. Regina dropped her hand at her side, startled. "Who?" Henry said looking around the forest angry that someone foiled his plan. Regina already knew who it was through, the wisps of magic smelled like that of her Mother's.

Cora walked out of the trees and up to Henry, who took a step back from her. Regina heard her Mother explain to her in a whisper that she had been worried, and that she didn't want to wait in the house to hear what had happened. Henry continued to cower a bit behind the stone curve of the well as she spoke.

A faint explosion was heard in the background and all three of them jumped. It appeared Cora had only teleported the dynamite further in the forest, which was loud with a small flock of birds that were spooked by the sudden noise of the explosion and a crack of some tree. Regina watched as Cora took a step closer to Henry.

"Why would you want to get rid of magic dear?"

Henry stepped out and in front of Cora, who was eyeing him curiously. As an afterthought, she added, "And why in such a place?"

Even though Henry was dissuaded from his plan, he still stuck with his Operation like a true hero, "Because magic has done nothing but cause pain!" he said in a raised voice. Regina could feel her heart crack. She hated to see his inner turmoil. She wished he could have a somewhat normal-er family - no doubt the boy was under quite some stress. She stepped a bit closer to them.

The forest was still and only Cora's voice was heard because the startled birds had settled from the aftermath of the explosion, "That's not true," she said.

Henry tilted his head to the side. He had expected her to protest, but she caught his attention, and apparently Regina's too, because they both waited intently on an explanation.

"You say in this land we are all fairy-tales." she asked rhetorically. Henry still answered with a faint nod of his head. Cora smiled and inhaled a bit, "Well, have you ever heard of the story called "Rumplestiltskin?"

Once Cora had learned about this land and how they were all stories she had asked Regina which ones she was from. With the help of a magic box with a glowing apple in the back she had read her story. Cora found it curious, but misleading.

"Well Henry," she said calmly, with Regina next to her, listening in, "I was the Miller's daughter, and-"

Cora paused at the faint look of surprise on Henry's face. It seemed he hadn't expected her to come from such origins even though it was in his name. She continued on. "-and, if you know the story, I had to spin all the hay in the tower into gold by sunrise or the old King would have killed me."

She stopped to think for a moment. Regina was staring at her Mother, observing her. She hadn't expected Cora to be so open after years of listening to her Mother try to repress the mere thought of her childhood status. But now, it seemed she would dig up the sore memories to get closer to her Grandson, something Regina never thought she would ever see.

"I had now way out," she started, looking down at Henry who was following along with her story, "There was no way out of the tower and I knew I would die. Except," she said, "I didn't."

"Because of Rumplestiltskin?" Henry asked hesitantly. He didn't know if his guess would be welcomed as an interpretation, or scolded as an interruption. But Cora only nodded, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Yes, he taught me magic, and without it I wouldn't be here," she said, turning to Regina and placing a hand on her shoulder softly. "And nor would your _Mother_."

Regina smiled at her voice so-obviously stressing Mother in the sentence to Henry. Henry himself looked between the two woman and bit his lip, contemplating Cora's story. He supposed he was a little irrational in thinking he could have destroyed it. He looked up and sagged his shoulders.

"Sorry Mom," he said to Regina. She smiled and went up to her son, hugging him. He hugged her back lightly and Regina marveled at how tall he was getting. She could barely twist her head to give her Mother a thankful smile, which slowly faltered as her eyes focused on a line of people in the back of the forest.

The Charming's held their swords lowered and the metal blades glistened in the morning sun. She pulled away from Henry, and Cora turned to look behind her.

Cora, Henry, and Regina stared back at Neal, Emma, and David in the clearing. Emma dropped her sword in the damp canopy of the forest and slowly walked over to Henry. Everyone was silent and Regina and Cora watched as Emma kneeled besides Henry and gave Cora a questioning glance.

"Henry, you need to go back to school."

Henry nodded and gave into his other Mother. Reluctantly he followed her down the path back to Storybrooke. He gave a sidelong look at Regina, then Cora as he followed them back to their car.

Regina watched a second time as they walked away. Only this time it left a sweeter taste in her mouth. She knew she had won Emma and her parents over, who wouldn't believe her Mother was changing now? Still in the forest, she turned to her Mother and smiled.

* * *

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve - Baked Bread

Charming sighed from the barstool next to his wife. He was suspicious of Cora and her magical abilities, but after what had happened, he at least believed Regina. It was difficult to believe the one person who tried to destroy the happiness and wellbeing in your life. But even he could see the change in her, and he was even beginning to see it in Cora. He looked over at Mary-Margaret and sighed.

"I guess Henry was right," he said to her quietly, staring at the open main room. He could see Snow nod her head from the corner of his eye, but she didn't say anything. After he had found out about the Curse of the Empty-Hearted both he and Snow felt as if they were returning back into the repetitive fight with Regina. And after Snow tried to kill her Mother, why would they believe she wouldn't revolt? It was getting tiring. When Gold suggested that they take harsher methods against Regina and Cora in the crypt he had agreed from exhaustion.

Emma came into the room and stopped in front of her parents, who were both sipping some drink silently. She sat down across from them and frowned.

"Henry's a little mad, but he'll get over it."

Snow sighed and set her cup down with a soft clank, "I'm so tired of this struggle," she said, "I'm glad they seem to be changing."

Charming nodded but continued to stare into the living space. He felt the same way but was too tired to answer.

Emma nodded at her newly found Mother, she new her parents had been fighting with Regina for a while. It seemed that they could begin to trust them after the events near the well. The words spoken from Cora - of all people - seemed heartfelt. Regina wasn't a problem there either. She was just worried about Henry.

But what did she have to worry about? Emma sighed loudly to her parents. "I think we need to trust them," she began, "It's the only way."

Charming snapped out of his trance and turned his head, "I shouldn't have mentioned Gold's suggestion. We all took the easy route."

Snow nodded her head the second time that evening and place a hand on David's arm. They all shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. "The harder way is usually the good path to go, and the hard thing to do now is to ease our defensiveness and start to trust them."

Emma sighed, looking over her shoulder. She hoped Henry would be eavesdropping on this conversation too. It always seemed like he heard the wrong things. "I'm going to call Regina tomorrow and set up a date for her to have dinner with Henry."

No one said a word. They all hoped that there would be a stop to this endless fighting.

* * *

It was 9:00 in the morning and Regina walked out of the diner with a strange feeling at the pit of her stomach. She just finished thanking the man that had warned her about Henry running off in the woods, and she felt that she met him before. . . she just couldn't put her finger on it somehow.

She began to walk away from Granny's little diner and was just about to cross the path and into the street when she realized exactly who he was. Her heart began to race and she peered over her shoulder at the man in the window booth. He was so much older Regina could still hardly place him. She still remembered that look on his face though.

Regina shook her head. She needed to go home and think this out. It was no coincidence that Greg Mendel was here. And now, she was sure he was suspicious enough to stay.

* * *

Regina walked into her mansion and was greeted with the smell of baked bread and lasagna. Regina smiled warmly and walked into the kitchen where her Mother was cooking. Regina had taught her Mother how to reheat the lasagna using the microwave, but the baked bread was a surprise. She hadn't taught her Mother how to use it, and yet the bread sat on the counter, perfectly baked.

"Mother?"

Cora turned around, having not noticed Regina came in. She smiled a bit, looking unsure. It took her two other loafs to get a hang of the magic oven, and the room was a mess. But Regina didn't look upset. She looked amused.

"I thought you hated cooking," she stated, not knowing what to think about the mess and the delicious looking food. Her stomach growled.

Cora paused, her hands resting on the counter because they were grimy with flour and other

ingredients. It was true that she hated cooking - she had to cook for her Father and it was not a thing she liked to do. Especially since they lived on bread. Cora baked two loaves a day when she was young - it was, after all, a Mill - and she had gotten sick of it. For some reason, however today she got an urge to cook some up.

She shrugged, "I don't know dear, just felt like making bread."

Regina smirked, mumbling to herself, "And a mess," but Cora heard and rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you happy I mastered the magic electrical oven?" she asked seriously, and Regina chuckled. The names her Mother was coming up with for the appliances were funny to hear coming from a sorceress of her status. How a simple oven could make her so confused.

"It's just an oven, and yes, I am happy that you learned how to use the oven without burning the house down." As an afterthought, Regina added, "And you didn't blow up the microwave this time."

Cora tensed at that memory. She didn't know you weren't supposed to put metal objects in the microwave, and had learned the hard way. That was also the day Cora learned how to use a fire extinguisher.

Regina chuckled again at her Mother's distant expression. She sat down at the table in the far back of the kitchen, her mood lightening from the worry she had over Owen's return to Storybrooke. Instead, she pushed it to the back of her mind and dug into the leftover lasagna her Mother reheated and the bread her Mother whipped up.

"So," Regina said after a few bites looking up at her Mother who was also eating, "Where did you get the bread recipe from?"

Cora wiped her mouth on the napkin and furrowed her brows. She tapped her head with her index finger before swallowing, "I remembered it."

Regina was a bit surprised, but then again, she wasn't. Her Mother always had the most vivid of memories. She began to eat again, falling into a comfortable silence. But the silence left her to her thoughts, and Regina soon drifted back to the diner and Owen - or rather, Greg.

"Regina, something not taste right?" she heard her Mother ask, bringing her out of her thoughts. Regina absentmindedly said "No." Her Mother wasn't fooled.

"Regina, what's wrong?" she asked, concern dripping from her voice. Regina looked up at her Mother and shrugged.

"Nothing Mother, I'm just tired is all."

Cora sat there, watching. She disliked when Regina hid things from her, especially if she could see they were bothering her. It was only noon and she was tired? Something was clearly wrong. She didn't want to push though, so she continued eating, glancing up at her daughter to make sure she was eating too. It seemed that she had lost her appetite.

"You know you can talk to me if you ever need me," she said quietly. Regina didn't answer she was in her own world and reality was not part of it. She continued to sit there, staring off into space and chewing just from the repetitiveness of it. Cora sighed.

This would be a long evening.

* * *

After a quick lunch with her Mother she had returned to the office, attempting to finish some paperwork. She hadn't gotten too far with her mind drifting back to Owe- Greg in the diner. She wondered if he was going to come after her about his Father, whom she had killed about twenty-eight years ago.

She jumped up from her seat when the phone on her office desk rang into the silence. Annoyed she grabbed it so it would stop and pressed it to her ear.

"Mayor's office," she said, trying to make herself sound bored, though her voice was still heavy from the fright the telephone ring caused. It was probably just her secretary anyways - one of the few people who trusted her enough to work with her on a near-daily basis. She had been one of her maids back in the Enchanted Forest and was one of few she trusted.

"This is Emma."

Regina stood up from her chair, surprised. "Emma? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I was just wondering if uhm. . ."

Regina rolled her eyes, "Spit it out Miss. Swan, is Henry okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, Henry's fine. But I was wondering if you'd want to have dinner with him today?"

Regina's heart stopped at Emma's words. She could barely contain her excitement. "Yes!" she shouted into the phone, but then cleared her throat, "I mean yes, I'd like to."

On the other end of the line Emma tried not to smile. Regina loved the boy, the phone was shaking in her ear from the excitement. She found it suited her better than the stern, snappy voice she usually spoke with.

"Great, how's about five o'clock at Granny's?"

Regina eagerly agreed to it, then there was a long pause on the line.

"Are you coming too?" she asked.

Emma froze. She hadn't thought of that, really. "Do you want me to be there?"

Regina was silent. She didn't know how to explain that she really didn't want her there. Emma soon got the message though, "Alright, but you'll have to drop him back off at my place."

Regina agreed, and when they hung up from the phone conversation her mind forgot all the worries of the day. She would finally get to have dinner with her son - these were the things she lived for. She smiled, finishing the mound of paperwork from her desk in two hours and slipping giddily back home to get ready.

* * *

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	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen - Memories

Regina watched as Emma left the diner and Henry stayed, sitting down in the booth across from his Mother and giving her a large grin. She quickly recuperated his lopsided smile with one of her own - it had been far too long a time for them to have dinner together.

Both of them sat there awkwardly for a few seconds. After everything that had happened, they didn't know what to say to each other. Henry had mistakenly believed that his Mother was returning to her old ways and in turn, Regina's faith in her son believing her had dwindled a little bit when he showed some reluctance to see her about a week ago. But now, they were both on the same page and they knew that they would begin to work again on her redemption and their own relationship.

This was now with an added participant, of course. Cora would be working on this too, but both Regina and her Mother decided that now was not the day for her to see Henry - even if in a less dire situation then when they met before. At first, Cora had been insistent in seeing him, but eventually she understood Regina it when she said she needed some time alone with Henry, who was currently talking about school and how he played with Grace at her house after school one day.

Regina smiled, happy to hear that Henry was getting along with someone his age. She was always a bit worried that Henry would grow up too fast and never get to experience some of those important childhood things - she hadn't, after all. However, with the mention of Grace she stiffened. She didn't like the idea of Jefferson's daughter playing with her son after the unfortunate incidents with Jefferson and her Mother (and, admittingly, herself too). But Regina didn't linger on that for long - her son was here and she needed to make him happy.

"So Henry," Regina said when he finished talking about school, "How was your trip to New York?" It had been too late when Regina realized Henry had gone to New York, but now she was curious.

Henry paused for a minute before answering, "I met my Dad."

Regina knew this already, but it still stung to hear it. Henry never had a Father or a

Father-figure in his life. She was a bit worried that Neal - Henry's Father - would screw things up.

"And how do you like him?" she asked, but before he could answer, Ruby popped up with their drinks, which Regina had ordered before Henry came knowing exactly what Henry would want.

"Your coco," Ruby said to Henry with a bright smile. He eagerly took it, taking a bit of whipped cream on his tongue and smiling broadly at the taste of the combination of sweetness and cinnamon. Ruby turned to Regina when Henry was busy enjoying the drink, putting Regina's own drink down on the table a little harder than usual and stalking away from her with a huff. Regina looked wearily at the girl until she watched her rush over to Dr. Whale, who just entered the diner. She flinched when she embraced the doctor while Henry stared at Regina.

"She'll get used to you again. I tried to tell her when she watched me a few days ago that you were good again, but she's still suspicious."

Regina did a one-over of the diner. A few people glared at her from the spots, but most whispered softly to one another. Granny was perched in the back holding something just under the counter (probably her crossbow), as she watched, squinty-eyed at her. Regina turned away. She hadn't noticed with Henry here that unease of the small, over-crowded diner was so high it could blow the roof.

Henry took her hand from across the table. "I know you're changing Mom, that's alright for now, right?"

Regina smiled at him. She hated the eyes that were burning into her back but she loved being with Henry more than her hatred for the citizens of Storybrooke. "Yes Henry, it's alright."

'That didn't mean it wouldn't be a long dinner,' Regina thought to herself as an annoyed scantily-clad werewolf came over to take their food order. It was clear she didn't want to be waiting while Whale was nearby. 'Yes,' Regina thought with a roll of her eyes, 'it's going to be a long dinner.'

* * *

"What?!" Regina yelled at Emma, who was standing in the doorway to her shared apartment with her parents. She was dropping Henry off from their dinner and scheduling for more dinners (every Thursday and Tuesday), when Emma admitted to Regina that they had been growing beans secretly.

"Shhh!" she hushed.

Regina wasn't phased, "Why did you keep this from me?"

"I just learned about it today!" Emma said in a loud whisper. She disliked the idea of going back to the Enchanted Forest - she lived in this world her entire life, the thought of leaving for a world with no plumbing sucked for her. She also thought that Regina should know. If she found out without them saying a word about it, there would be trouble.

Regina sighed and gazed down the hall. She wasn't sure what she thought about the situation. She didn't want to go back to the Enchanted Forest either. This world was supposed to be her happy ending. There was a reason why she left it all behind.

"Thank-you for telling me."

Emma nodded from her spot leaning against the door. She watched as the brunette walked down the hall. She hoped Regina wouldn't be too mad about the ordeal. She saw from the look on her face that she too, didn't want to go back. This was a mess.

* * *

Cora nervously ran into the living room once Regina left to go eat with Henry. She was glad that she could get some time with her son, but she was still bitter that she was only seeing him because the Charming's had allowed it. It upset her greatly. However Cora had bigger things to worry about.

Lately she lost some sleep over the things Rumple had previously stolen from her. At first, she thought that he would mix the stolen ingredient with some sage, reinforcing a protection spell. But she had her doubts after a few nights of sleeping on it. There were thousands of other ways to get the same result - there was no reason he needed to steal from her.

She ran her hand along the bookshelves in the back of the room behind a black piano until she found the one she needed. It was her spell book. In it contained thousands of spells and instructions needed to certain curses and potions and alchemy. She flipped through the book and sat down on the couch, turning the aged pages until she found the ingredient he had stolen - the very same one she had taken back.

Cora swallowed hard as she came across it's uses. The main one was to aid in a protection spell but Cora knew he wasn't using it for that. She continued down the list, shaking her head 'no' to each use listed there.

Until she reached the bottom.

"Memory Spell!" she yelled, the realization hitting her. Of course! How did she not think of it earlier? She knew of that little Belle that he was with since after she left him. Last she heard, her memories were lost from Hook. She chuckled when she remembered the triumphant look Killian gave when retold it to her after he was freed from the hospital. He was happy he had finally gotten back at his Crocodile - although it wasn't killing him, it did harm his heart a bit.

Cora sat back against the couch again, relaxing. This world made some comfy furniture, and she took advantage of that. But her mind wasn't relaxed. She knew how to make a memory spell, though it was clear her former lover and mentor didn't. Even though her spell book didn't teach how, there was a book in Wonderland that did tell you. And Cora - always wanting to learn - had tried it until she perfected it. It was how she had such wonderful memory.

She set the book back with a flick of her wrist, violet smoke enveloping it. She continued to contemplate her next move when the front door slammed open. She could sense that it wasn't Regina - there wasn't a magical energy around the intruder. In an instant, Cora was on her feet and in the foyer. The intruder was quickly pinned against the wall until Cora saw who it was.

"Killian?"

"Aye, nice to see you too Cora," he said sarcastically, still pinned to the back wall with her magic. She pursed her lips at her loyal companion she worked with for the better part of nearly twenty-eight years and released him from her grip. His feet hit the floor with a muffled thud and he watched her as she shut the front door and locked it.

"After everything Hook, you still have no manners," she scolded.

He smirked "Once a pirate, always a pirate."

She turned to him and he paused, studying her carefully. She was different somehow. Her voice didn't hold the same sinister bitter-sweetness it usually held. To most it would be unnoticeable but to Hook it was an obvious difference. Cora paused and allowed him to circle her.

"Somethings different."

She didn't answer his inquiry but stood in front of the door and waited him to stop inspecting her. He eventually did, noticing nothing physically different. He stood in front of her, eyebrow cocked. "What is it?"

She sighed and walked out of the foyer to the dining room. He followed behind her in a slower gait. With Cora, he knew he had to be careful.

"My daughter gave me the one thing I lacked."

There it was. He paused in thought. 'She couldn't mean. . .' he said to himself. But soon it made sense and his jaw unhinged in an utterly dumbfounded look. Her missing heart was one of the very first things he found out about Cora and he never thought of her returning it. It was a part of Cora, her missing organ. It allowed her to do what she thought she had to do and he hadn't thought otherwise. Now, with this new information, it was as if he hit a brick wall.

"But. . ." Cora continued on, ". . . I have also learned that your actions in this 'New York,' almost caused my death."

He swallowed this with difficult thought. No one could kill Cora and he most certainly didn't know that he had nearly killed her.

That didn't change things though, and without much effort Cora had him pinned against the wall again. He grunted and stared at her - still in shock. She searched his eyes. Despite her heart having returned he could still see that same-old Cora. The glint of mischief in her eyes and the effortless power. He smirked. He wouldn't want her to lose that.

She smiled, her lips upturning slightly, "Of course," she said, leaning into him slightly, "You didn't know that." She let go of him and he dropped to the floor again at her feet.

He gazed up at her as she turned away, "Your crocodile escaped death unfortunately," she offered quietly.

Hook nodded. He knew about this, Greg and Tamara had shown him. He grabbed her arm as she walked out and told her about the two.

"There were these two people - Greg and Tamara - whom I unfortunately ran into in New York," he began, Cora listening silently, "They showed me Rumpelstiltskin and tried to get me to work with them."

Cora turned to him, "Did you agree?"

"Only because I had to," he answered carefully. He didn't want to upset Cora - she took her companionships seriously (as did he), however if she felt betrayed enough she might be motivated to punish. "I wouldn't break my deal with you, of course."

She eyed him with a suspicion creeping onto her face, "And how, my dear Captain, are you going to prove this?"

Hook gave her a toothy grin. Yes, this was the same Cora. And if it was the same Cora he knew her ways. "My dear Cora, how did I prove it to you last time?" he asked, watching as she put on her devilish smirk. Sometimes he wondered why he continued to work with her but he would chose this than going against her any day.

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	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen - Belle

Cora teleported to the hospital the next day after Regina left for the job. She had seen the large building before and had no trouble picturing the small brunette in order to get there. When Cora walked into the room she noticed the woman sitting in the bed. Luckily, Rumplestiltskin was no where in sight and the older woman closed the door behind her to make sure she'd hear someone coming.

Turning around she sighed heavily. This 'Belle' was laying in the bed fast asleep. She was curled to one side and as she walked to the chair that was turned to her bed she noticed a bag on the floor, half open.

Curiosity was always one of Cora's more dangerous traits, and now it was killing her. She unzipped the rest of the bag and slipped her hand inside, inspecting the contents. It contained two pairs of clothes, a small rectangular device, and a ring with several keys on it. She pulled back from the bag and sighed against the chair. There was nothing of importance in the bag, which was a disappointment. She was hoping she'd find out just who she was going to give memories to.

Cora turned to the girl in the bed. She was pretty, worthy of the name Belle, however Cora didn't admit this to herself. Surely this delicate flower couldn't have captured the Dark One's heart - not like Cora thought she had, anyways. She observed her as she slept, irritated beyond reason though she didn't have the slightest idea why.

'I was certainly prettier than her in my youth,' she thought, brow cocked as she watched her sleep. She didn't understand why someone like Rumplestiltskin would want such a small thing as his current. . . lover (she suppressed her anger at the thought, eyes flashing with it). It didn't make sense and she could feel her cheeks flush at the thought of him missing this woman's old self so much as to steal from her. She knew that if she didn't have her heart she would have called him pathetic, and although she was itching to call him that now she knew she could not. But she didn't think she remembered him so weak.

Cora glanced up from the resting woman to the nightstand. A flash of white paper against the dark wood caught her eyes and she grabbed it, having not notice it before. She opened up the wrinkled page and immediately knew who wrote it. His handwriting was unmistakable and she rushed to the turn the page over to the correct side.

_Dearest Belle,_

_I know that I have scared you with the cup, and I am sorry. But if you can find it in your heart to look past this and see me, I will be eternally grateful for it. I know you are probably confused about what is happening, but I promise it will all make sense soon. You will get your memories back. I need you to, because you are the only one who understands me. If you would like to try to see me, please come visit me with the addresses on the back._

_Gold_

Cora swallowed hard and clenched her jaw. She didn't understand what had happened between them but she didn't like it. She was glad to hear that he scared her off, but she was also furious and she didn't quite understand why. It had been so long ago since they were together but she could still feel scraps of love for her former mentor and lover, even though she ripped out her own heart to let him go. She thought those feelings were long buried, but the were not, apparently. She thought this bitterly and looked down at the younger woman's sleeping form.

This made things complicated, although things were looking good for her. She would make sure Rumplestiltskin did not get to give Belle her memories back, and without them, he would be heartbroken. She smiled to herself, her heart calming. She would be there to put him back together again and he would forget this. . . this girl.

She stood up, the letter clenched in her hand and pulled out a small tube with a cork on it from her inside pocket. It would return her memories to the ones she had when she was cursed. Cora undid the top, a plume of black smoke floating out. It was immediately attracted to Belle, drifting over her until it absorbed into her body. Cora smiled and watched from her spot next to Belle. She twisted with the ripped paper in her pocket, teleporting out of the hospital room and into her bedroom. She threw herself onto the sheets, burning the paper in her hand without a second thought.

* * *

Regina looked up at her Mother, who was entering her office with a box. They greeted each other like they had been doing for a while - every day Cora would come in with food, normally sandwiches or a salad (which required no use of kitchen appliances). Today, Regina was happy to find a turkey cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread. She watched hungerly as her Mother set the plates up at her desk before sitting down across from her.

Regina put down the pen she was holding for the first time in a few hours to pick up the sandwich and smile at her Mother, who - she realized - was not smiling back. Regina paused in her chewing to study her and nearly choked on her food when she recognized guilt. This was partially because she never saw her Mother express guilt (except to her), and because she was afraid of what she was guilty of.

"Mother what did you do?"

Cora looked up from her food and smiled in a way that tried to show nothing was wrong. Regina knew it was fake because she had smiled like that her whole life. She swallowed her bite and narrowed her eyes at her Mother who was gazing off to the space behind her, deep in thought. She got a pang in the gut from that look.

"Mother, if you did anything to give Emma a reason not to let Henry see me, I will not be able to contain my anger!"

Cora looked up, startled from her thoughts and slowly shook a 'no.' She had been deep in thought when Regina snapped her out of it and a brilliant idea popped up in her head. She didn't want Regina to know about the Belle situation - it was something not even she was comfortable with, so she decided to tell her of Hook.

"No, it's just," she cleared her throat and turned her face to her daughter, who was half concerned, half suspicious, "Hook came the other day and he told me about how he met these people who kidnapped him. . ."

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	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen - Lacey

Regina ran over her thoughts with what her Mother had told her about Greg and Tamara. She was extremely uneasy about the entire situation, especially since she was unsure when and how he would come for her. It was inevitable - she killed his Father, one of the things she truly regretted doing. She shared her concerns with her Mother who also was unsettled. Though clearly not afraid of the two because of their magic, Regina was terrified that he would go after Henry.

So she called Emma.

It was the longest cellphone conversation Regina ever had with someone. No doubt Emma had a lot of questions and inquiries, but Cora had also been asking away on how the "glowing rectangle" could work without magic.

Eventually Regina was confident Henry was safe enough for her to take other precautions against Greg and his lover but being a Mother she knew this confidence was not enough and that she would need to make absolutely sure they could not get to her son. This would mean tracking them down and (later on) capturing them. Since Hook had enough evidence against them, they should be able to convince Emma and her parents to lock them up.

This was why she was in the office on her would-be off day. Using her computer she was going to try to track Greg through his phone, which she got Emma to place a tracker on. It wouldn't take long but Regina found herself pacing in front of the desk.

She was deep in thought about Henry and their dinner schedule when she heard the click of the door to her right. She had no time to react, as Gold came in yelling immediately.

"What did you do to her?!"

Regina jumped slightly in the chair, but not drastically enough for Gold to notice. She turned to her former mentor and her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I'm sorry?"

Gold leaned in on his cane and inhaled sharply, "Don't give me that dearie, what did you do to Belle?"

Regina stared at him. She had no clue what he was talking about. There was no reason for her to go after Belle, let alone do something to harm her. "I assure you Gold I had nothing to do with. . . whatever happened."

Even though he seemed on edge and his cane was clenched painfully tight in his hand, Regina's sincere look was what made him realize that it wasn't her. This was Regina, she would be gloating if it was truly her. He sat on the chair across from her in front of the desk and she cocked her brow in annoyance. But suddenly, a thought came to him.

"It was Cora, wasn't it?" he said out-loud to himself. Regina perked up at the sound of her Mother and gave a confused look. He got up to leave the office grumbling something vulgar about Cora that she didn't wish to hear about before she cleared her throat.

"What did my Mother do Gold?"

Her voice came out shaky. Her and her Mother's relationship had improved drastically. If this blew it all away Regina would be furious. She was gaining trust with the Charmings. . . Emma even agreed to help track Greg with her. But Cora had been acting strange. And Regina was itching to know.

Gold cleared his throat. "Belle has her cursed memories and thinks she's 'Lacey.'"

Regina sighed and her shoulders sagged. Gold eyed her suspiciously from across the room. Regina felt her heart drop. It was something Cora was capable of doing. . . and not too unlikely. After the events in the Pawn Shop Regina learned a bit of her Mother's past, and she realized when she asked about her past with him that her Mother did at least half-care for The Dark One which she tried to kill. She nearly gagged at the thought but it didn't matter. This was going to get complicated.

Gold turned swiftly in the room to the door, but before he could make his leave Regina called back. "I'll talk to her, just don't. . . don't go after her. I think you'll make things worse." It was true. Cora wanted to get a rise out of him (or that's what she thought at the moment), and his going after her would only make things worse. With an angry sigh Gold glared at her. He knew she was right and hated to admit it. Cora was a devious woman and the only person who she seemed to be comfortable with was Regina and that damned pirate. If anyone could get her to reverse it, it would be her.

Gold turned back around. As he walked out he gave a snide sort-of remark,"Do get on to that, will you?"

Regina huffed. She had more important things to do.

* * *

"Mother!"

Regina just got home from the mounds of paperwork and surveillance data on Greg. To be honest she completely forgot about Belle or. . . Lacey and even Gold's visit until she went through her thoughts. Then she remembered (and dreaded) approaching her Mother about it. It would take some convincing but she was sure she could get her to reverse it.

"Yes, dear?" Cora called from the dining room, "Why are you home so early?"

Regina sighed and shuffled into the room where her Mother stood, a smile plastered on her face. "We need to talk."

Cora nodded, "About Greg and Tamara?"

Regina sighed and sat down at the table, the chair creaking under her. "No Mother, about your visit to Belle."

Cora's face immediately dropped and she swallowed thickly. The guilty look she had on her face finally came more apparent and Regina felt a little better about the situation - her Mother at least showed some regret. But that didn't change what happened.

"Mother," Regina said softly, lower in tone than normal for her, "I don't really want to know why you did it, I just don't want Gold to go to the Charmings and blab about how you're 'still at it.' Do you realize what that would mean?"

Cora turned a bit red from anger (and a bit of embarrassment). She disliked how her daughter was the authority over her at the moment, and lost a bit of her famous temper. "I can take care of myself Regina, and I know exactly what it would mean!"

Regina jumped for the second time that day and tried not to get angry, "Well then why did you do it then?!" she countered.

Cora clenched her jaw somewhat and stared at her daughter. She didn't know why she did it really. . . it was more impulsive than anything else. She just didn't want to see Rumple with such a girl. She was to tiny and fragile to be of any use to that beast.

She told this to herself in her mind, but in the back a voice was telling her she did it out of jealousy. Cora was too proud and arrogant to admit it to herself, and fought with the voice in her head while Regina watched this from the outside. She stared at her Mother who appeared to be somewhere else. Soon she got worried.

"Mother. . ." Regina asked slowly, getting up to rest a hand on her Mother's shoulder, "Are you alright?" All previous conversation slipped away as she watched her Mother's turmoil. Quickly, Regina realized why she reverted Belle to her memories.

She sighed and sat back down at the table. It was a disgusting thought, thinking that her Mother and Rumplestiltskin were once a pair. After reading this world's version of her Mother's story and hearing her Mother's commentary Regina found the need to shove those thoughts in the back of her mind. It wasn't something she liked to think of and made her queasy. She noticed how upset her Mother looked now though, and assumed that perhaps she really was envious of Belle.

'I really don't want to talk about this,' thought Regina as Cora snapped out of it. She looked back up at her Mother, who was trying to turn and storm away. But Regina stopped her. 'Let's make this short, Mother,' she thought.

"Mother, you need to return the right ones back to her."

Her Mother's face was hidden by a curtain of brown hair and she mumbled incoherently knowing that her emotions had been exposed to Regina. She hated how weak she was becoming. An understanding hand was placed on her shoulder though, and Cora felt slightly relaxed that her daughter wasn't mad. Regina was right, this could have made the Charmings suspicious again. And she wouldn't be such a burden to Regina again.

"Alright," she said softly. Regina nodded and they both agreed not to talk about this again anytime soon. Cora hated the impulsive action she committed and Regina didn't want to think about her Mother and Rumple anytime soon. It seemed Cora wouldn't be home for dinner tonight though, and she sulked out the door. Regina was just glad she didn't have to do anything else.

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